JAZZIS WEB SHOP

I've been pretty busy doing some programming again and here is a new feature many people asked me to add: Browse By Label

The new feature is available on the Browse page - select Browse from the top menu and then Labels. You will see a list of 314 record labels represented on my site at the moment. Clicking on any of the label names will display all the items released by that label.

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It certainly looks like April is going to be a busy month, with many new additions already queuing up and waiting to take their place on the site. I start with the new album by one of the best UK Prog acts:

4^th album by British (well almost) Prog band Thieves` Kitchen, which comes five years after their splendid previous release “Shibboleth” – quite a long time of course, but plainly worth the delay in view of the result. TK are one of the very few bands, which manages to make giant leaps between consecutive albums, all in the right direction. Each of their albums has not only been different stylistically and conceptually, but they consistently keep growing up and expanding their musical and lyrical vocabulary. Whereas the last album took them into the ambitious RIO direction, this one takes another turn and brings the band very closely to Scandinavian Prog, with Isildurs Bane and Anglagard coming to mind almost immediately. The fact that the band has a Scandinavian member and a few of the guest musicians on this album are Scandinavians as well might have something to do with this, but I prefer to give them the credit for choosing this path as part of their intentional direction-seeking. In view of the fact that Scandinavian Prog is definitely the most advanced and aesthetically rewarding on the contemporary Prog scene, TK could have chosen no better bearing than this. Fronted by the remarkable vocalist Amy Darby, the band includes also four exceptional instrumentalist: Phil Mercy – guitars, Thomas Johnson – keyboards, Andy Bonham – bass and Mark Robotham – drums. Although Darby’s vocal parts are the most striking and immediately noticeable feature, there are plenty of great instrumental parts here, which are worth listening to attentively. Darby (as I already mentioned in my review of the previous album, her first with TK) continues the great tradition of outstanding unconventional female vocalist like Julie Tippetts (Julie Driscoll) and Annette Peacock. On this album she also occasionally reminds me of Joni Mitchell, another great model to follow. As if her singing abilities are not sufficient, Derby also wrote all the original lyrics on this album (two of the tracks feature lyrics translated from Chinese and one uses Sanskrit) and took care of the elegant and exquisite graphic design of the album’s artwork (and the band’s web site). Definitely a talented lady! The music is mostly contemplative, slowly developing the intricate melodies, with plenty of breathing space and long instrumental passages. Expanding the band with guest musicians playing flute, cello, oboe, saxophone and other instruments, the music receives a loving treatment and intimate chamber character. Kudos to TK for creating this beautiful piece of music. I only hope that many people will enjoy this album as much as I have. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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Here comes the eagerly awaited new Aviv Geffen box set of live recordings:

11^th album by Israeli Rock legend Aviv Geffen (13^th if one counts the two Blackfield albums), and his first edition of live material, which in many respects serves as a summary of his 15 years on the scene. Geffen, much as his father Jonathan Geffen before him, was always at the epicenter of both the Israeli musical and political scenes. His early-days rebel behavior, anti-establishment protest and mannerisms created a huge public debate in Israeli in the early 1990s, but his popularity with the Israeli teens was sky-high. The peak of Geffen’s political involvement was reached when he publicly reconciled with Israeli Priminister Itzhak Rabin, following Rabin’s dramatic peace efforts, which unfortunately happened shortly before Rabin was assassinated. In time Geffen withdrew from political involvement and public life (other than concerts) and in parallel also became more introvert as musician and lyricist. The themes of his songs changed from protest and rebellion to soul-searching and metaphysical journeys. Since 2003 Geffen lives mostly in London, where he met and befriended Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), which led to the creation of their group Blackfield, and where he tries to develop his international career free from the restrictions imposed by the local Israeli scene. This box set includes two CDs recorded live during the summer of 2007. The songs – all written and composed by Geffen – span his entire career, with the older material appropriately rearranged and updated musically. Accompanied by a great band, which includes some of Israel’s best rockers, Geffen delivers his songs with passion and great stage presence. Although not a refined singer (some might even say a poor singer), his charisma and musicality transcend his limitations, as it does in many other cases in Rock music. Overall the delivery is very effective and these two disks summarize Geffen’s career to date perfectly. A couple of new songs, previously unrecorded, are also featured. The enclosed DVD is a great treat to Geffen fans, as it includes 21 video clips and live performances filmed between 1992 and 2008, none of which were previously commercially available. A beautiful booklet with the lyrics of all the songs (in Hebrew) and some nice photographs is also included. I can hardly imagine a better tribute to an artist’s career than this box set, which should delight all his numerous fans in Israel as well as abroad.

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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One of the all time classic albums finally gets the Deluxe Edition treatment:

By the time Free were recording their 3^rd album the combined talents of singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Paul Kossoff, bassist Andy Fraser and drummer Simon Kirke, aided by the experience of grueling touring and fast-rising popularity with the crowds inspired the group to take the crucial decision to produce the new album by themselves. In retrospect this was probably the factor which turned Free from just another white Blues band into Blues-Rock Superstars. Fraser & Rodgers, who were in charge of writing the bulk of the band’s material, took their writing just a tiny notch away from the Blues roots towards Rock, apparently just the right step which made their popularity explode overnight. With the “All Right Now” single charting (soon to achieve a permanent seat on Rock’s Pantheon of evergreens) and constant demand for live gigs, the band was riding the wave of success, which in a very short time will lead to their ultimate destruction (as it did to almost every other band eventually). But right at that time they definitely were at their peak, producing a classic album, which will be never rivaled by any other group in that genre. The secret of this album’s greatness lies with the simplicity and “less is more” approach. Having written some great melodies the band did nothing to muddle the raw material and executed it perfectly, using some great riffs. Fraser’s bass lines are pure genius, pointing the music in the right direction, Kirke’s guitar licks create just the perfect fillers, avoiding lengthy solos which did not fit the bill here and Rodgers’ soulful vocals and his unparalleled understanding of the Blues place his immediately on the top of his class. This Deluxe Edition is a tribute to this outstanding album. Out of the 30 tracks (on 2 CDs) only the first 7 come from the original album, the rest being a plethora of studio, radio and live recordings, some previously unreleased. There is a lot of repetition here with 8 versions of “All Right Now” and 7 versions of “Fire And Water”, but they are all quite different and shed a lot of light on the band’s creative process. This album, combined with the “Forever” DVD, which spans the same time period, is a great document of the era, when music was the epicenter of Western Culture, lamentably long time gone. Essential to all Free fans of all ages, even if they already own the original album.

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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Here comes the eagerly awaited new studio album by the reunited Van Der Graaf Generator:

Three years after the original Van Der Graaf Generator reunited and surprised the wold with an excellent new album (“Present”); here they are doing it again. Alas, they are reduced to a trio (Peter Hammill – vocals, guitars and pianos, Hugh Banton – organ and bass and Guy Evans – drums), having lost the great David Jackson on sax, who was the band’s integral ingredient and is much missed here. Nevertheless the trio manages to produce an excellent album, which will definitely delight the band’s fan base worldwide. Although the writing credits for the album’s contents are assigned to all the three members (except 1 track written by Hammill only), Hammill’s overall influence over the band remains dominant. He delivers his vocals with the usual theatrical abilities, remaining in excellent form. The music is much (and I mean much) rockier than any previous VDGG album, with the heavy organ riffs and energetic drumming driving the up-tempo tracks. But of course there is plenty of quiet contemplative material, typical of Hammill’s writing over the years. The overall sound, although excellent, is kept very retro, creating the illusion that the album was recorded sometime in the 1970s, which of course should delight the band’s fans as well. I can’t imagine any VDDG enthusiast being disappointed by this album, and I’d rather expect a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed it immensely, especially in view of the fact that it proves again that talent does not go away with age – these veterans can easily blow any of the contemporary Prog or Rock bands off the stage with one blast of their music. Hats off!

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz releases. Following the splendid Vocalion additions I now found quite a few small British labels, which have reissued some of that wonderful stuff from the 1960s & 1970s and I’ll introduce them gradually. Each and every one of these albums is an absolute musical gem.

The short and tragic life of pianist / composer Mike Taylor, an eccentric genius fallen victim to mental illness / drug abuse, which proved self-destructive and led to his death at the age of 29, is surely worthy a script adaptation for a Martin Scorsese movie. Sometimes referred to as “the Syd Barrett of British Jazz”, Taylor had close ties with a relatively small group of musicians, like Graham Bond and the members of his Graham Bond Organization, which included Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker – soon to be founders of Cream. Many people will be surprised to learn that three songs co-written by Ginger and Mike appear on Cream’s “Wheels Of Fire” album (“Pressed Rat And Warthog”, “Those Were The Days” and “Passing The Time”). Another one of his superb songs – “Jumping Off The Sun” – was recorded by Colosseum and appears on several of their albums. Although known intimately by very few people at the time, the legend lives on and periodically the flame of interest is rekindled among the modern British Jazz fans, like in the case of reissue of his only two existing recordings: “Pendulum” and “Trio”. Even fewer people are aware of the spectacular tribute album recorded by Taylor’s musician friends three years after his death. Recorded under the musical direction of another British Jazz legendary figure, composer / arranger / bandleader Neil Ardley, who discovered Taylor’s genius immediately and scored some of his compositions for the New Jazz Orchestra when Taylor was still alive. Unfortunately the concert, which was to feature NJO and Mike’s trio never materialized, since Taylor (already very ill at the time) simply missed the gig. Nevertheless Ardley continued to use Taylor’s music as part of the regular NJO repertoire and suggested to Denis Preston, owner of the legendary Lansdowne Studios in London, where most of the pivotal modern British Jazz was recorded, to produce a tribute album to Mike Taylor’s musical genius. Preston, who recorded the two Taylor albums, needed no persuasion and funded the complex and costly project with no hesitation, considering it a most appropriate gesture. Ardley assembled a group of 20 musicians to record this project, sharing the scoring of the music for a large ensemble with others, who were close to Taylor and new him well, like Howard Riley, Barbara Thompson and Dave Gelly. One of the tracks is based on a previously unreleased Taylor quartet recording, with the ensemble overdubbed on top of the original recording, which makes Taylor’s participation in this project almost “in person” as well as “in spirit”. The list of the participating musicians reads like the who’s who of modern British Jazz and includes among others: Ian Carr and Henry Lowther on trumpet, Chris Pyne and David Horler on trombone, Ray Warleigh and Stan Sulzmann on saxophone, Peter Lemer and Alan Branscombe on piano, Chris Lawrence and Ron Mathewson on bass, Jon Hiseman on drums and of course the divine Norma Winstone on vocals. I can’t think of a more appropriate tribute than this one, full of love, dedication and music genius by all the people involved. Considering the fact that this album combines the genius of Taylor’s Jazz composition with the genius of Ardley’s Jazz scoring / arranging, we get (in mathematical terms) a genius squared result – a rare event indeed. Recommending this album would be somewhat similar to recommending someone to read some Joyce or see a van Gogh – completely superfluous. I’m sure you get the drift by now!

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz releases. Following the splendid Vocalion additions I now found quite a few small British labels, which have reissued some of that wonderful stuff from the 1960s & 1970s and I’ll introduce them gradually. Each and every one of these albums is an absolute musical gem.

Composer / arranger / bandleader Neil Ardley left a remarkable mark on modern British Jazz in the 1960s and 1970s. As the musical director of the New Jazz Orchestra (NJO), Ardley was responsible for creation of the innovative Big Band / Orchestra sound, one of the great ingredients of modern British Jazz. Influenced by Gil Evans, another pioneering figure of Jazz orchestration, Ardley took the matters further, adopting rock elements into his scores and creating unique Jazz-Rock Orchestral music. His skills as a composer of large-scale suite-like scores were best documented by a series of recordings of his works. This album was a third in a series of such works and a final part of an orchestral trilogy, which started with “Greek Variations” and continued with “A Symphony Of Amaranths”. As usual in his case, the music is a multi-part orchestral suite, performed by a Jazz ensemble with plenty of space for extended improvisations by soloist. Having at his disposal the burgeoning British Jazz community of musicians, Ardley selected the excellent Ian Carr’s Nucleus as the core of this ensemble, expanding it with additional musicians he was used to work with. The list of players is most impressive and includes among others: Ian Carr on trumpet, Brian Smith, Barbara Thompson and Stan Sultzmann on saxophone, Tony Coe on clarinet, Dave MacRae and Geoff Castle on piano, Roger Sutton on bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums and vibraphone. The music moves between atmospheric soundscapes and highly rhythmic Jazz-Rock pieces, with excellent solos in each of the suite’s seven parts. In retrospect the music lost none of its original charm and beauty, and sadly one must admit: “they don’t make music like that any more”. Ardley was to produce one more orchestral masterpiece, called “Harmony Of The Spheres”, by the end of the 1970s, before the changing musical and economic climate eradicated ambitious / artistic music almost completely. He became a very successful writer and best-selling author before he died in 2004. I hope all of his splendid musical works will be properly reissued, including previously unreleased stuff left in his estate. As for this album, just grab a copy and take the A(rdley) train into musical lands of rare beauty – an experience you’ll never forget.

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Massive restocking from Universal with some great new releases. Please check your Waiting List!

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Here is a very nice and almost forgotten but now reissued album by Canterbury hero, Kevin Ayers:

Legendary Canterbury hero Kevin Ayers managed to keep his musical career aflame over the years by releasing splendid albums every now and then but staying away from the limelight. His ability to write well-crafted songs, which sound easy and simple, but are in fact often devilishly clever, earned him admiration and respect among his peers. This album was recorded when Ayers heard the debut album by Fairground Attraction, a short-lived UK Folk-Rock group, which blended many different genres into their music, from Folk and Country to Rock and Jazz, very similar to what Ayers used as his modus operandi. Ayers thought that it would be nice to record an album with the group and after pulling some strings his wish was granted. The cooperation obviously worked very well, as the resulting album is a blast from start to finish. Augmented by some of his regular musical collaborators, like guitarists Mike Oldfield and Ollie Halsall, Ayers presents a great set of his unique songs. A special merit goes to the fantastic Danny Thompson, whose bass playing drives the music and gives it an overall Jazzy feel. It’s great to have this little gem back in circulation and the many Ayers fans will surely rejoice.

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The new Thieves` Kitchen album is back in stock!

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Here is a new release on the Kadima Collective – Israeli Improvised Music label – by bassist Jean Claude Jones:

Israeli bassist and Improvised Music pioneer Jean Claude Jones revisits eleven musical pieces recorded live and in studio over a period of ten years, performing, what he calls recomposition of the pieces. In his own words: “As opposed to mere editing, recomp involves the deconstruction, subtraction, rearrangement, and reconstruction of the material. It not only changes the sequencing, but it radically affects the feeling and the flow of the music. It also changes the texture of the weave, the voice of the team, and the original intention, revealing new connections, transitions, and possibilities”. The pieces are duos and trios played with other Israeli Improvised Music musicians like Harold Rubin (clarinet), Steve Horenstein (flute, bass clarinet & saxophone), Daniel Hoffman (violin) and others. One duet with world-famous Israeli bass player Avishai Cohen is also included. As usual, this is very difficult music, suitable for enthusiasts of the genre, but also an extremely rewarding intellectual experience. It’s good to see some people still treating music as Art and not a commercial commodity.

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The new Thieves` Kitchen album is back in stock!

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Another new Israeli album, this time a superb Fusion album:

Israeli bassist / composer Arik Ben Kalifa spent six years in the US studying upright bass with William Bettes and electric bass with Stanley Clarke while playing with local bands. Upon his return to Israel in 2004 Arik formed the Magador quintet with his musical partner, guitarist Guy Ramon and with three young and very talented musicians: Amiram Granot (saxophones & flute), Tomer Mezamer (keyboards) and Stas Zilberman (drums). The band recorded a demo album in 2004 and later this, their debut album, which to me is a major surprise, considering the fact that it is one of the best Fusion albums I’ve heard in a long time. The music, composed mostly by Arik (with a couple of tunes co-composed with Guy) is superbly melodic, incorporating the best Fusion traditions with subtle Middle-Eastern motifs, which is not surprising considering Arik’s cultural legacy - his Moroccan-born father was a traditional oud player. Each of the tunes on the album provides a great melodic basis for the improvisations by the band members and the album offers plenty of excellent solos. Driven by Arik’s pulsating bass lines, the music is full of joy and charm, a real listening pleasure. The sophisticated melodies and the brilliant performances turn this album into something that deserves to be heard and admired, as it is as good, if not better, as any other Fusion album recorded by world’s top players. Hearing stuff like this makes me proud to be an Israeli.

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Massive re-stocking from Sony / BMG – check your Waiting Lists!

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And yet another new Israeli album, this time a piano solo album by pianist / composer John Bostock:

Australian born pianist / composer John Bostock has been living in Israel since the late 1980s and is one of the most interesting musicians active in the country. His activities encompass the fields of contemporary Classical Music, Improvised Music and Jazz. He won several important awards for his classical compositions and his Jazz activities include many performances and recordings, with two albums as a member of Albert Beger’s group and a piano trio album “Journey To Gythia” from 2004. This new album collects Bostock’s solo piano pieces, recorded over a period of eight years. He composed all the music, except one standard, which ranges from completely improvised pieces and spontaneous compositions to improvisations on written themes. It might come as a great surprise to the listener to find out how beautifully melodic this music is, even when completely improvised. Full of lyricism and melancholy, the melody lines come and go, shifting in the shadows of the music. An attentive listener can immerse himself in the magic completely, floating on the gentle waves in total bliss (not recommended for driving!). Although sometimes resembling Keith Jarrett’s solo recordings, this music has none of Jarrett’s tenseness and stressfulness. The sound quality is exceptional and the piano sounds completely realistic with great presence and sound clarity. This is a real gem and a true piece of musical bliss – an island of serenity in the havoc that surrounds us all. Highly recommended!

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Massive re-stocking from Sony / BMG – check your Waiting Lists!

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Here is the next batch of new additions on the excellent Sunbeam label:

2^nd album by Scottish duo Bread, Love And Dreams, which included singer David McNiven, who also wrote most of the material, and female singer Angie Rew. The group started originally as a trio with another female singer Carolyn Davis and they recorded their debut album a year earlier. After Carolyn left to pursue a solo career, the duo engaged in an extensive recording project, which produced enough material for a double album. Unfortunately the record label (Decca) refused to issue a double album (originally intended to be called “Mother Earth”) and as a result the first of the two was released under this title, taken from the title of the epic song included on the album, and the second a few month later as “Amaryllis”. The duo was lucky to have some great musicians taking part in the recording sessions, namely Pentangle’s rhythm section of Danny Thompson on bass and Terry Cox on drums, as well as saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith from Colosseum. Some of the songs were also beautifully arranged and orchestrated. The resulting music is a prime example of British Folk-Rock with some Psychedelic influences as well. Although the original albums sold poorly at the time they were released, in time they achieved a legendary status among British Folk-Rock enthusiast and became rare collectors’ items. Having them back in circulation is a long-awaited dream come true and no Acid Folk fan can call his collection complete without these two albums.

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Massive re-stocking from small British labels: Sunbeam, Fallout and Dusk Fire. Check you Waiting Lists!

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Here is the next batch of new additions on the excellent Sunbeam label:

3^rd and last album by Scottish duo Bread, Love And Dreams, which included singer David McNiven, who also wrote most of the material, and female singer Angie Rew. The group started originally as a trio with another female singer Carolyn Davis and they recorded their debut album a year earlier. After Carolyn left to pursue a solo career, the duo engaged in an extensive recording project, which produced enough material for a double album. Unfortunately the record label (Decca) refused to issue a double album (originally intended to be called “Mother Earth”) and as a result the first of the two was released a few month earlier under the title “The Strange Tale Of Captain Shannon And The Hunchback From Gigha”, taken from the title of the epic song included on that album, and the second a few month later, again taking the title from the epic three-part suite present on this album. The duo was lucky to have some great musicians taking part in the recording sessions, namely Pentangle’s rhythm section of Danny Thompson on bass and Terry Cox on drums, as well as saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith from Colosseum. Some of the songs were also beautifully arranged and orchestrated. The resulting music is a prime example of British Folk-Rock with some Psychedelic influences as well. Although the original albums sold poorly at the time they were released, in time they achieved a legendary status among British Folk-Rock enthusiast and became rare collectors’ items. Having them back in circulation is a long-awaited dream come true and no Acid Folk fan can call his collection complete without these two albums.

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Massive re-stocking from small British labels: Sunbeam, Fallout and Dusk Fire. Check you Waiting Lists!

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Here is the next item in the batch of new additions on the excellent Sunbeam label:

Only album by British duo Fresh Maggots, which consisted of Mick Burgoyne (vocals, lead guitar and assorted instruments) and Leigh Dolphin (acoustic guitar). Basically a Folk-Rock album, but the Psychedelic lead guitar with a heavy fuzz effect turned the effort into an Acid Folk anthem. Although the album disappeared from the shops shortly after its release, in time it achieved a legendary status with collectors paying unearthly prices for a copy. The album was intended to be called “Hatched” originally, but as usual the label (RCA) thought differently and the album was released as self-titled. This reissue puts things right again and by adding some extremely rare bonus tracks expands the original significantly. The music is quite unusual, combining the gentle folk melodies with some intense rock riffs, all in good taste. For British Folk-Rock enthusiasts this is a must have, especially since the music stands the test of time rather well, providing us with yet another opportunity to glimpse on the glorious past.

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Massive re-stocking from small British labels: Sunbeam, Fallout and Dusk Fire. Check you Waiting Lists!

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Here is the last item in the batch of new additions on the excellent Sunbeam label:

Only album by British group Czar, which consisted of Bob Hodges (keyboards & vocals), Mick Ware (guitar & vocals), Paul Kendrick (bass & vocals and the band’s main composer) and Derrick Gough (drums). They played great proto-Prog material, based on the extensive use of Hammond organ and mellotron and heavy lead guitar, as did many of their contemporaries. The lengthy tracks leave plenty of space for solos by the lead instruments and their 3-way vocal harmonies are pretty unique. Stylistically the group’ material is similar to early Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster and especially Nice, due to their use of adaptations of Classical Music themes, which served as a basis for long instrumental tours de force. Unfortunately their rearrangement of Manuel de Falla’s “Ritual Fire Dance”, which was their most ambitious piece, was omitted form the original LP release, only to be corrected with it being included as one of the bonus tracks on this reissue. The original LP earned a legendary status over the years and became a rare collector’s item, now back in circulation. Lovers of the late 1960s early British Prog will have a field day with this album, which lost none of its charm over the years.

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The fantastic Polish Jazz items (Komeda, Kosz, Urbaniak, Namyslowski, Stanko) are finally back in stock! Almost impossible to get, these will disappear really quickly I suppose, so please don’t delay. Check you Waiting Lists!

Check Polish Jazz here:

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Following the addition of John Bostock’s fabulous piano solo album a few days ago, here comes his earlier piano trio album, which is as delightful:

Australian born pianist / composer John Bostock has been living in Israel since the late 1980s and by now is an integral part of the local music scene. Although primarily celebrated for his work in the contemporary Classical Music, his ongoing flirt with Jazz has become his second nature by now. Although some Jazz motifs have sneaked here and there into his Classical compositions over the years, this is debut Jazz album. The music was written about a decade prior to the recording, inspired by his trip in Greece. Bostock attempted to record the music shortly after it was written but abandoned the project, obviously not “ready” at the time. His instinct paid off big time, as I can’t imagine a more perfect execution of this music other than what is present on this record. Supported by two marvelous players: Guy Levy on bass and Danny Benedict on drums, this piano trio (my favorite Jazz format) is truly exceptional, bringing immediate associations with Bill Evans being the most obvious, especially in view of the absolute technical brilliance and fluidity of Bostock’s piano playing, the amazing interplay between the trio members and the romantic, lyrical character of the music. The music, all composed by Bostock (except for one standard) is also exceptional. Beautifully melodic and yet full of brilliant ideas and harmonic surprises, seemingly “easy” on the ear but full of unique ideas. In short – a great example of what Jazz is really all about. I must admit that this album shatters one of the “commonly known” cliches: “Classical musicians can’t swing”, as it swings like hell from start to finish. Beautifully recorded (by Yair Nisimov at HaOgen studios – where I recorded many of my productions), with perfect balance between the three instruments, which is so devilishly difficult to achieve, it surely deserves the title of an audiophile recording. I can say with clear conscience that this is one of the best Jazz albums ever recorded in Israel and I can’t wait for the next Bostock piano trio album. Marvelous!

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The fantastic Polish Jazz items (Komeda, Kosz, Urbaniak, Namyslowski, Stanko) are finally back in stock! Almost impossible to get, these will disappear really quickly I suppose, so please don’t delay. Check you Waiting Lists!

To browse Polish Jazz albums, select Browse from the top menu and then Polish Jazz & Fusion from most popular searches.

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Here is a new release on the Fallout label, which brings to life a forgotten gem:

Only album by US septet Far Cry, which is a rare example of early US Jazz-Rock Fusion. The band was fronted by a unique lead singer Jere Whiting, who delivers some of the most unusual vocal performances (comparable only to Captain Beefheart excursions}, with growls, whines and you name it, but all making perfect sense in the overall scheme of things. The six instrumentalist play two guitars, saxophone, keyboards, bass and drums producing a big sound and combining Rock, Blues and Jazz into their own amalgam. Saxophonist Dick Martin is the biggest surprise and delivers some of the strangest phrases ever heard on a Rock oriented album at the time, very close to avant-garde Jazz of Ornette Coleman or Albert Ayler. Strangely enough the stuff he plays fits perfectly the overall ambience of the album. Six of the seven composition included on the album are originals by the band members and they are all very interesting. Overall this is a real forgotten gem and a blast from the past. Having it back in circulation is a real treat. Definitely worth checking out.

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The fantastic Polish Jazz items (Komeda, Kosz, Urbaniak, Namyslowski, Stanko) are finally back in stock! Almost impossible to get, these will disappear really quickly I suppose, so please don’t delay. Check you Waiting Lists!

To browse Polish Jazz albums, select Browse from the top menu and then Polish Jazz & Fusion from most popular searches.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the first album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British pianist / composer John Taylor was an integral part of the British modern Jazz revolution in the late 1960s / 1970s and continues to be a dominant figure on the British scene to this day. He was a member of the John Surman’s group and his immense contributions to Surman’s early recordings earned him respect and admiration among his peers and music lovers. He was also a member of Harry Beckett’s group and appears on the first 3 albums Beckett recorded as well as on early albums by Alan Skidmore, Kenny Wheeler, German guitarist Volker Kriegel and many more. Taylor’s brilliant technique and wonderful feel for modern Jazz make him an model for a modern Jazz hero and his incredible work over the years firmly confirms the high hopes he promised during the early days of his career. This album is Taylor’s debut recording as a leader and focuses on his abilities as a composer. Produced by Surman, it was originally released on the legendary Turtle label. The album was recorded by a sextet, which includes Taylor on piano with Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Pyne on trombone, Stan Sulzmann on alto saxophone, Chris Lawrence on bass and Tony Levin on drums. Surman guests on soprano saxophone as does the divine Norma Winstone, who contributes one vocal track with her lyrics. The music, all written by Taylor, is absolutely amazing. Not only in its melodic and rhythmic structures, but also being amazingly diverse stylistically. Although there are five tracks on the album, two of them are in fact “double treats”, combining two different compositions, resulting in seven original compositions written for this album. Taylor cleverly uses the entire palette of modern Jazz, with the composition ranging is style from serenely melodic to frantically and freely improvised. Of the seven compositions, only one is a piano trio and the rest all feature one of the musicians as a soloist. Surman is featured on the free style piece and his solo there ranks amongst his finest ever. Winstone, as usual, adds her magical siren’s mysticism on the tune that closes the album. Of all the British modern Jazz albums recorded at the time, this one is perhaps the most “perfect” one, encompassing and representing the period and the music it created. All the elements of this enchanting music just come together here in a most sensitive way making the total rise above the sum of the ingredients. Not only do all the musicians play perfectly and the music is impeccable, but also the spirit of adventure and the drive to discovery are omnipresent. I can’t even begin to emphasize how important this album is and how vital it is for every modern Jazz enthusiast to savor and cherish. Beyond essential!

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My recent review of John Bostock’s “Journey To Gythia” is featured on the front page of the Rate Your Music site (http://www.rateyourmusic.com). This is the 8^th of my reviews to be featured on the front page, a rare distinction.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British pianist / composer Howard Riley has been a pivotal figure of the modern British Jazz and later Improvised Music since the late 1960s. Completely unorthodox and original, his approach to music making is a complete innovative universe, in which he and some of his close collaborators created the next plane in the history of Jazz in particular and music in general. Although the European avant-garde exploded a few years later then the first wave of US Free Jazz pioneers like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Eric Dolphy and John Coltrane, it developed in a new direction rather than copying or following the path initiated by the US giants. As radical as the US Free Jazz might have appeared at the time, it was after all deeply rooted in the Jazz tradition and in many respects developed as an extension of Bebop. The Europeans, most of them in their twenties when they initiated the European Free Improvisation school, had little, if any, experience playing Bebop and the new direction was developed spontaneously rather than consciously (or sub consciously). The social upheaval and general anti-establishment wave that swept Europe in the late 1960s might have served as a psychological background for these musical developments, as the quest for freedom of expression and rebellion against established musical forms was the central motif of the European Free Improvisation movement. Young European musicians in Britain, Germany, France, Netherlands and even behind the Iron Curtain (Poland, East Germany) decided to take a bold step towards exploration of a new musical universe, unbound by any preconceptions and limitations - harmonic, rhythmic or otherwise. The movement started in the late 1960s but only truly crystallized by the early 1970s, and this album is certainly one of the first focal point of European Free Improvisation. It was Riley’s fourth solo album, following his daring debut “Discussions” from 1967 and two trio albums recorded for CBS (“Angle” & “The Day Will Come”). Exceptionally gifted bassist Barry Guy, who was a member of Riley’s trio from the very beginning, took part in all the recordings, and would be his partner for many years to come. However, the decisive factor and the catalyst, which turned this recording into a momentous leap forward was the participation of one of Europe’s most inventive and original drummers – Tony Oxley. The resulting trio – Riley / Guy / Oxley – turned out to be an unstoppable musical hurricane of exploration and spontaneous invention beyond anything previously encountered. The album starts with a furious barrage of a 20 minutes long collective improvisation, which moves between trio, duo and solo performances of immense intensity and complexity. Some incredible sounds are extracted from the respective instruments, creating an incredible collage of sonic expressions. In complete contrast, the second part of the album is a complete anti-climax, with the trio performing some contemplative music, quiet and delicate and at times almost lyrical, as on the two ballads. Make no mistakes here – this is not a return to mainstream Jazz. These quiet pieces are as free and improvised as they come, but the fury of expression is subdued here and replaced by the balance between sound and silence, interplay and caressing the instruments. Overall this is a monster album, revolutionary, innovative and groundbreaking. Released originally on the legendary Turtle label, this reissue finally brings this musical treasure back to life, for all the people who never had the opportunity to hear it at the time. Although Riley would prove to be very prolific and record many exceptional albums in the future, this one is especially dear to my heart, as it opened windows nobody previously knew existed. A musical Magnum Opus, beyond essential!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British saxophone Colossus John Surman was one of the busiest European Jazz musicians in the late 1960s. Between the time he recorded his eponymous debut album as a leader in 1968 and this 1972 recording Surman took part in no less than 45 recording sessions, both as a leader and sideman, recorded in UK, Germany and France. His position at the vortex of the burgeoning European modern Jazz and Improvised Music scene was a catalyst expanding the musical horizons and contributing to the scene’s rapid development by creating new musical discoveries. Surman’s musical fingerprints were all over the music, regardless if his input was just a guest solo appearance or a leading position. His legendary group called simply The Trio (with bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin), active between 1969 and 1971, was one of Europe’s most visionary ensembles and its recording legacy stands out as a beacon of European Jazz to this very day. Following this frantic activity Surman decided to take a radical side step and re-evaluate his output and musical approach. The result was this magnificent album, recorded completely solo by Surman by multi-tracking (overdubbing) the instruments (various saxophones, keyboards and percussion instruments) – an extremely bold and innovative approach to recording at that time (Surman will use this same approach in the future). These “conversations with himself” are all deeply personal statements; soul-searching, revealing and contemplative, all exquisitely executed. Baritone and soprano saxophone duels, long solos, shifting rhythms and moods – all the ingredients of great music are here for the listener to absorb and delight in. Surman proves again not only his brilliant technique as a player and composer, but must importantly as an innovator and pioneer of groundbreaking ideas. The album remains to this very day as a milestone of modern European Jazz and one of the great achievements of Surman’s illustrious career. The album was originally released on the Help label – a short-lived subsidiary of Island dedicated to “bizarre” stuff - and unavailable for many years. Great to have it back in circulation. Wholeheartedly recommended.

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I interrupt the flow of the fabulous FMR releases to add an Israeli Jazz album, which unfortunately is out of print by now, but I managed to get a few copies directly from the artists:

2^nd album by Israeli saxophonist Albert Beger and his quartet with John Bostock on piano, Gabriel Meyer on bass and Asaf Sirkis on drums. As usual Beger wrote all the music on this album, which is excellently performed by the quartet members. The album marks Beger’s transition between modern Jazz and Improvised Music, which he will be involved with on his later recordings. The material on this album is still firmly based on the Jazz tradition, with melodic content and traditional harmonic structures. Beger’s solos however are mostly free form, spinning and floating above the basic chord changes. His virtuosity and flair are clearly apparent and the album established Beger as one of Israeli leading players. All the other quartet members do an excellent job, each in his respective field. Bostock is a master of harmony, supplying the main melodic structures and playing a few excellent solos. Meyer’s solid bass glues the music together and keeps the time beautifully and Sirkis, by far the best Israeli drummer, drives the music forward with his excellent feel and energy. As all Beger’s output, this album firmly confirms that although small, the Israeli Jazz scene is capable of producing recordings of the same quality as anything recorded in Europe or the US. Recommended!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

In complete contrast to the first stage of British saxophonist John Surman’s career, which lasted for about four years (between 1968 and 1971) and was characterized by almost obsessive recording and touring, he decided to “hold his horses” from that point on and record a limited number of albums each year – a modus operandi he adheres to consistently to this very day. 1972 saw the release of just one Surman album, the revolutionary “Westering Home” - a complete solo project. Similarly, 1973 brought us just one Surman album entitled “Morning Glory”, which was also the (collective) name of the group that recorded the album. Consisting of the top players on the British scene it included Surman on soprano saxophone and bass clarinet (note the fact that he does not play here his primary instrument – the baritone saxophone) with Malcolm Griffiths on trombone, Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal, John Taylor on acoustic and electric piano, Chris Lawrence on bass and John Marshall on drums. Musically the album is quite surprising, as it marks Surman’s first venture into the field of Jazz-Rock Fusion (under his flag that is). Although the structure of the music is still very free form and the solos tend to float into free improvisational spheres, the guitar, electric piano and the rhythmic patterns are close to Fusion (which was at the peak of its development at the time). One might call this Free-Fusion, but of course labeling this magnificent music is completely senseless. Surman’s solos are, as usual, brilliant but all the musicians contribute more that a fair share to the album’s overall mastery. Originally released on Island, the album was unavailable for many years and having it back in circulation is a marvel. Of course it is an absolute must have for every follower of the British Saxophone Colossus and fan of modern British Jazz. Highly recommended!

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Here is an update on the latest Jazzis Web Shop News:

CATALOG EXPANSION:

I have devoted the 1^st quarter of 2008 to expanding the selection of Jazz titles offered. Returning to an old love of mine – the British Jazz of the late 1960s / 1970s, which was a period of frantic development of European Jazz. I’ve established contact with several UK labels, which specialize in reissues of that material like Vocalion, Dusk Fire, Trunk, FMR and a few others which will appear on my site soon. Collectively these labels offer a fantastic selection of the best British Jazz albums recorded during that period. Although many great recordings remain unreleased on CD, the ones already released present some of the best music ever recorded on this planet, which is exactly what I wish to offer on my site.

Browse the British Jazz albums:

I’ve also managed to replenish the fabulous Polish Jazz section, with many new additions arriving soon:

Some of the artist, who created music during this glorious period, are still active today and make wonderful music. I’ll soon introduce more recent recordings by several great British musicians like Michael Garrick and others.

As of today the catalog includes 1,755 titles, way beyond what I had in mind when I started this enterprise. If all goes well the number should reach the 2,000 goal. I have no idea if it makes sense expanding the catalog in view of the dwindling sales, but we’ll see…

Of course I keep adding Progressive Rock titles on regular basis, some old some new. There is not much interesting stuff coming out on that scene recently (unfortunately), but I keep my eyes and ears open at all times.

SALES:

Unfortunately the sales are steadily dwindling… I’m not desperate about this issue any more, sort of resigned. The music industry crumbled completely (at least in the old format) and people just don’t give a damn about music any more (the vast majority that is). I talk to hundreds of people involved in selling CDs and they all tell the same story – sales are going down and businesses are closing – it looks like a plague. Of course the tiny record collectors community still hangs on, but it is not big enough to sustain a business around it. I wander how long it will take until all this simply comes to a grinding stop…? Of course I thank of all of you for your continuous support and as always ask you to support the music.

JAZZIS WEB SHOP SITE

I keep playing around with the site all the time. I’ve recently changed the look of the home page, with now displays the latest 10 additions (instead of one) and the top bestsellers.

I also spend more time writing the album descriptions, which are linked to other albums by hyperlinks – a great feature that everybody likes. No other vendor has this feature on their site.

I also expanded the browse page, which is the heart of the site’s search facility, by adding numerous search options, including the most popular searches, another unique feature.

7^th ANNIVERSARY

The 7^th Anniversary of Jazzis Web Shop as around the corner and as usual, I’m amazed how fast the time flies. Staying alive for that long is quite remarkable.

MY PERSONAL SITE

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British saxophonist / composer Mike Osborne was an integral part of the modern Jazz scene in the late 1960s / 1970s, recording numerous albums as member of the most important ensembles at the time, led by Mike Westbrook, Harold Beckett, John Surman and Chris McGregor (Brotherhood Of Breath). He was also the founding member of the momentous saxophone trio SOS with John Surman and Alan Skidmore. A brilliant improviser, he was an absolute master of the alto saxophone with very few contenders. Stylistically Osborne tendencies were always oriented towards Free Jazz and he was one of the great pioneers of the genre in UK. Unfortunately his personal life was deeply disturbed by mental illness, which resulted in time spent on and off in mental institutions. By early 1980s the illness became so severe that he had to be institutionalized for life and never again played music. He died in 2007. Although Osborne recorded quite a few albums as a sideman, his output as leader is very limited. This was his debut session as a leader, which took a lot of persuasion to materialize, as Osborne hated to be in the limelight. Released on the legendary Turtle label (the first album to be recorded for the label, which was actually started to release this album), the album was a rare collector’s item for many years and the reissue is a blessing. The music consists of just two long tracks (which used to be the LP sides), performed by a quintet with Osborne on alto saxophone, Harry Beckett on trumpet, Chris McGregor on piano, Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums (the rhythm section of Brotherhood Of Breath). On both tracks the quintet states the theme and then ventures into extended free improvisation passages, with splendid long solos by Osborne and Beckett. The album is a classic example of European Free Jazz, capturing the atmosphere of the era, when music was created because musicians had something to say. Not easy music, but essential to all enthusiasts of the genre and a most important historical document.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British violinist / composer John Mayer invented the fusion between Jazz and traditional Indian music in the 1960s, when he and the brilliant saxophonist Joe Harriott co-led an ensemble, which recorded a series of groundbreaking albums which fused the two musical genres, being one of the pioneers of Jazz-World Fusion. Unfortunately the ensemble ceased to exist when Harriott died tragically in 1973. From that time on Meyer continued his work mainly in the field of Classical music, but by the end of 1990s he formed a new ensemble called Indo-Jazz Fusions and recorded with them a series of superb albums until his death in 2004. The ensemble was a nonet and included Mayer on violin and eight young but extremely talented musicians, with his son Jonathan Mayer on sitar, Harjinda Mataru on tabla, James McDowall on flute, Carlos Lopez-Real on saxophone, David Smith on trumpet, Simon Colam on piano, David Foster on bass and Andrew Bratt on drums. Mayer wrote most of the fantastic music performed by the ensemble, but the great Kenny Wheeler composed the title track of this album. The music is a direct continuation of the stuff the Mayer-Harriott group was doing, missing of course Harriott’s virtuosity, but nevertheless still formidable. Mayer’s beautiful melodies are perfect vehicles for the improvised passages and solos by the ensemble’s members and everything falls into place just flawlessly. One can hardly imagine a better cross-pollination between cultures and we should all be grateful to Mayer for pursuing this wonderful dream. Delightful!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz albums recorded during the pivotal late 1960s / early 1970s – a favorite subject of mine as everybody knows by now. Here is the next album on the wonderful FMR label, home of great British Jazz and Improvised Music:

British violinist / composer John Mayer invented the fusion between Jazz and traditional Indian music in the 1960s, when he and the brilliant saxophonist Joe Harriott co-led an ensemble, which recorded a series of groundbreaking albums which fused the two musical genres, being one of the pioneers of Jazz-World Fusion. Unfortunately the ensemble ceased to exist when Harriott died tragically in 1973. From that time on Meyer continued his work mainly in the field of Classical music, but by the end of 1990s he formed a new ensemble called Indo-Jazz Fusions and recorded with them a series of superb albums until his death in 2004. This album was unfortunately the last he recorded with this ensemble before he died. The lineup is identical to the one, which recorded the beautiful “INJA”, and again a British Jazz veteran contributes one of the compositions on this album, this time saxophonist Stan Sultzmann. The music is as beautiful and perfect as anything Mayer ever touched - a great example of Jazz-World Fusion and a must for all lovers of cross-cultural inspirations. Mayer’s fans need no further inducement to grab this one ASAP.

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Here are a few new additions on the small UK label Market Square, which are all quite rare and surprising. The first is another little known Kevin Ayers album:

This little known live recording captures the Canterbury legend Kevin Ayers in the mid 1990s, accompanied by a great British band called The Wizards Of Twiddly, who by that time established quite a following on the Acid Jazz scene. The band fits Ayers like a glove with his crossover material moving freely between Folk, Rock and Jazz. Ayers delivers a splendid set of thirteen of his songs, with the usual ironic and often bitter and sarcastic lyrics. He’s in top form and the rapport between him and the band is plainly evident. The band members supply plenty of interesting solos and the overall full sound of the band, horns included, revitalizes the music immensely. This is a must have for all Ayers fans.

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Here are a few new additions on the small UK label Market Square, which are all quite rare and surprising. The next is another little known album by the legendary Curved Air soloist Sonja Kristina:

Following the demise of the legendary band Curved Air in 1976, their soloist Sonja Kristina continued her career as a solo artist, with a few attempted Curved Air reunions over the years. This, her eponymous first solo album, which was recorded with her band Escape, proves that she lost none of her vitality over the years and her magical and unique voice was still at full bloom. Accompanied by a great group of musicians, including her Curved Air partner violinist Darryl Way (who at the time was leading his group Wolf), she delivers a splendid set of songs, some of which include her lyrics. Although the album suffers slightly from the dreadful 1980s production standards, this can be easily put aside in view of her magnetic presence. The bonus tracks are especially interesting, as they include the only single (A/B) recorded by the 1984 Curved Air reunion called “Renegade” and an ultra rare Kristina single from 1985, recorded with the band Tunis. The album is a must have for all Curved Air fans and all people who are mesmerized by Kristina’s unique vocal delivery.

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Here are a few new additions on the small UK label Market Square, which are all quite rare and surprising. The next is yet another little known album by the legendary Curved Air soloist Sonja Kristina:

Following the demise of the legendary band Curved Air in 1976, their soloist Sonja Kristina continued her career as a solo artist, with a few attempted Curved Air reunions over the years. Following her early 1980s activity and the release of her eponymous debut album, she left the scene and hibernated for a few years, concentrating on raising her children. She returned to public appearances, first on the theatre stage and later by forming a new band, which was quite a surprising direction change for her. Coming back to the roots, Kristina and her new band performed a beautiful mix of Folk-Rock and modern Psychedelics, called Acid Folk. In 1990 Kristina reunited again with the original band members of Curved Air for a tour (which is documented on the “Alive, 1990” album) and once the tour was over returned to her new band and recorded this, her second solo album. She also wrote all the songs for this album, which was another surprising and bold step forward. The result is a charmingly beautiful Folk-Rock album, one of the best there are but unfortunately little known. Her splendid voice is all there, as good as in the old Prog years, but in the mostly acoustic and serene setting it sounds even more perfect. It really great to see Kristine revitalize her career time after time and to be able to hear her superb voice again. Warmly recommended!

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What better to end this month’s additions than a new Israeli Jazz album by one of our best musicians, Albert Beger:

8^th album by Israeli saxophonist Albert Beger recorded with his new quartet, which includes two new members: Aviram Ben Naim on piano and Yoav Zohar on drums. Veteran bassist Gabriel Meyer is still with Beger, the only member of his ensemble who plays with him since the first album recorded twelve years ago. Beger composed and arranged all the music, which is surprisingly much more melodic than his previous recordings. Of course there is plenty of free improvisation, but the musical themes are clearly stated and adhered to. The two new members prove to be a wise choice and play splendidly, creating the strongest version of Beger’s quartet ever. Pianist Ben Naim is an ideal accompanist for the leader, with his beautifully harmonic rapid movement all over the keyboard and Zohar on drums builds up the tension skillfully. Meyer’s steady bass foundation keeps the music on track with taste and apparent superb feel for the music. Beger is a great player; comfortable in any situation the music takes him to, regardless of key, tempo or the complexity of the tunes. His writing is getting better all the time and this new music is definitely his strongest statement to date, as a composer. This album stands proudly shoulder to shoulder with any contemporary Jazz recording from Europe or the US, positioning Beger firmly as a world-class Jazz artists. Brilliant stuff!

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