ZINGALE

My first impressions of this album are that this Israeli band are quite naive hoping for peace back in 1977 the year this was released. Then I read their bio and how some of the band members actually fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and lost relatives and friends. "Peace" is the theme here and it certainly comes from their hearts. A large 9 piece band with two synth players and a keyboardist. There's a violin/mandolin player and the violin is quite dominant on here much more than the guitar. Two male singers and one plays harmonica the other acoustic guitar. An inconsistent album in my opinion especially that run of songs from track 5 to 7. That includes "7 Flowers Street" which is pretty much acoustic guitar and violin with a child speaking. "One Minute Prayer" stutters along I just don't like the sound but it's less than a minute while "Lonely Violin Crying For Peace" doesn't need a comment based on that title.

Highlights though are "Love Song" for that beautiful moving melody, my favourite track. "Carnival" is a 6 minute proggy tune that is all over the place and quite well done. If I had to pick a third tune it would probably be "Stampede" and it constantly changes at least as far as the soloing instrument goes. And it's uptempo but that shifts as well. This just didn't sell well in Israel or around the World causing the band to eventually pack it in returning some 30 years later for an encore of sorts. I much prefer that SHESHET album from the same year and country.

Zingale are an obscure band to prog heads around the world, but in it's native country israel, the band was regarded as innovative and groundbreaking, trying to bring progressive rock music from the west to the conservative israel. A lot of artists before them played with the idea of progressive music, but always fused it with pop elements and were trying to get it through by adjusting it to the timid and tamed audience. Zingale were innovative beacause they released an album that was not trying to please the audience nor the record company, the album is 100% progressive rock full of ideas, taking his influences from bands like Yes and Gentle Giant. Out there in the big world Zingale didn't stand a chance, music was progressing faster and to other areas, never explored before, top that with better recording studios, technology and engineers with years of experience producing complex and experimental music, and you have a fine project that was doomed to fail. Being overshadowed by the big names in prog, doesn't mean their only take on progressive rock was not good, infact it was excellent. The main problem with the album ( and maybe the only one ) is the average recording quality and the amateurish horrible mixing, said to have been done by another person who didn't know the project or his goals. That surely affected the album's level, how to get all those instruments in to one track, and make it sound good, something that was never done in israel before.

Zingale was not all about the music, it was about the idea of the band members about world peace, written in words and expressed with music, hence the album's one word title 'Peace'. Lyrics was written to express the trauma of the 1973 war, those musicians faught just a year before, and try to plant the idea of world piece, and what a better idea to do it with progressive rock which represents freedom, fusion and new ideas.

But enough with the babbling, what's the music like?

Zingale are tagged as fusion but that's only one side of the band, the music is more constructed, even the instrumental parts which seems to follow a clear line. The music is symphonic, jazzy, rocky, eclectic and above all beautiful. Being a concept album, the songs are divided to instrumental parts which lies on the intricate interplay between all members, and songs which demonstrates the good writing quality of band, and their ability of writing actual songs. The band are using a lot of instruments together besides your standard rock group instruments, like harmonica, violin, synths, piano and tablas. Musicians are simply outstanding and you have a real feel of togethrness and unity, they play with a lot passion and sensitivity which is most evident in the instrumental parts. Bass by Udi Tamir is gigantic, trying to bring the Chris Squire sound, and is definitely doing a great job. Keys are wonderful throughout, using a lot of fender rhodes and is pretty diverse in it's playing. The band is not trying to produce a 'Close To The Edge' sequel nor to have ELP like runs on the keys, the album's value lies on the exceptional beautiful writing, memorable lines, and high energies delivered by the band's playing.

'Heroica' and 'Carinal' are two great instrumentals that sounds like a big party, happy, enjoyable and so fun to listen to. They are based on the fast interplay by all members featuring very good violin work, strong bass occasionally with wah wah, excellent keys and masterful drumming. 'Love Song' is one of the strongest tracks on the album, featuring a beautiful ballad working under cover in a progy song, beautiful guitar solo and some good vocals too. '7 Flowers Street' is 3 minutes of sheer beauty, carried out with acoustic guitar and excellent violin by Tony Brower, who continues to shine for the entire album, and must be regarded as the band's secret weapon.

Part 2 of this reissue including 6 songs that was meant for their second album. it sees the band aiming lower towards more acceptable anthems, and less adventuroues songs, singing in hebrew instead of english. Gone is the masterful violin dominating the original LP, and keys are also absent leaving the album with a more simpler sound. But being a good band to begin with, the playing is still good, and some progressive elements are still there, the songs are not bad just simpler and i'm sure they won't appeal to anyone who wasn't excited by the album. Let's get things in perspective, I can not compare this work with other phenomenal, groundbreaking albums coming out that year, receiving a 5 star rating by most reviewers, but this release hits me in a deep place and even the terrible sound does not prevent me of giving it a good listen once in a long while. Like i said it is not a masterpiece and i can understand reviewers giving it a 3 star, but some just may enjoy this as much as i do. So i feel a 5 star is appropriate to settle my enthusiasm.

I think one thing progressive music is sometimes guilty of is too much thematic emphasis on fantasy or mythology, or just trying to prove how very clever and innovative it all is. So its nice once and a while to listen to something that is as socially relevant and timely as it is musically appealing. Zingale managed to achieve just such a feat with their somewhat obscure mid-seventies release ‘Peace’. While the influences of Yes and the Canterbury sound are too string to ignore, the band manages to blend these with a fair amount of jazzy fusion and some obvious studio improvisation to yield an altogether novel album.

The Yes influence is most prominent in the early tracks, and particularly on the majestic “Help this Lonely World” and “Carnival”; the former which could also have passed for a Klaatu recording, and the latter sounding like some sort of instrumental outtake off the cutting room floor of the ‘Tales from Topographic Oceans’ studio sessions. Unfortunately the band did not have the technical advantages in the studio that Anderson and Co. did, so the sound tends to come off as muddled at times, which serves to give the impression the music is every bit as dated as its copyright. No matter, serious prog fans are rarely dissuaded by old analog recordings, especially when the music encased in them is arranged with such loving attention to detail.

Lead singer David Bachar manages a fairly decent blend of Jon Anderson and Greg Lake when he decides to sing (in English no less!), especially on the energetic and snyth-riddled “Love Song”. Violinist Tony Brower exudes emotion on the melancholy “7 Flowers Street”, and then follows that up with some wicked string-bending chords on the introspective and acid-tinged “Lonely Violin Crying”. These are the mellowest and most engaging tracks on an otherwise highly progressive and adventurous recording.

Electric keys and fusion rhythm abounds when the band slides into an improvisational jam on the rollicking “Stampede”; and then seems to take a cue from the likes of Peter Hammill with the sardonic, tense anti-war anthem “Soon The War Is Over”, a ranging call-to-arms for lovers of peace everywhere. With several members of the band having served in uniform during the Yom Kippor War, and those memories still fresh in their minds, they certainly know of what they sing as the lyrics are spit out amidst wailing guitars and stilting keyboards. The rather abrupt and unsettled ending mimics the lack of closure that war brought to the region too well.

The band would turn to Hebrew-language music shortly after this album was finally released (which itself didn’t happen until a couple years following its recording); some of those tracks appear on the nineties CD reissue. Musically these are much less ambitious songs, and other than the spacey “Green Scooter on the Way to Asia” most of them are of a completely different genre and time than the original recording.

It amazes and saddens me that a quarter-century after this group of guys from Israel issues their musical call for peace in that region, the guns and bombs are once again raining across their homeland. Let’s all hope that the peace they sang of manages to become manifest someday. In the meantime, take a chance and hunt down this unusual record – it’s worth the trip. Four stars and well- recommended to most serious prog fans.

peace

Problematic release from two members of the original Zingale lineup. The combined absence of original keyboardist (Adi Weiss) and the violinist (Tony Brower) makes the sound of the album very different. Too many 80's synths, bad singing and mixed-up arrangements make this a disappointing album. Most of the tracks are unbalanced, suffering from low production values and too many sampled instruments. I wouldn't even call this a Zingale album, but the other band members have not objected so far. If you want the real Zingale, go for the Peace album from 1977. The debut had the 70's feel, the cute melodies and the jazz-fusion element. What's left is a release which can be avoided with ease.

This album in my opinion hasn't gotten a fair shake, and since it's a little known album from a country near to my heart, I feel that I have to come forward and defend it.

Heroica is a straight up jazz/fusion rocker somewhat like Mahavishnu with frenzied violin and fast drumming, poppy jazz bass lines, and some nice rhodes work. Some synth comes in and the bass gets really rockin, this guy really knows how to slap and pock! The song brings momentum into the album and ends with a transition to the more YES-like and symphonic... 4/5

Help this Lovely Planet: Nice and melodic Yes-like singing with some rhodes and beautiful multiple-dubbed violin lines to accompany it with psych sounding guitar interweaved throughout. Truly great for any violin fan! This song is really beautiful and the album is worth checking out for it alone! 5/5

Carnival: Wow this song rocks! It's like a psych-bluegrass hoedown with some awesome and completely off-the-wall guitar and violin work exchanges reminiscent of Mahavishnu. Now some rhodes piano and crazy wah-wah bass followed by a truly spooky avant-garde part which could serve as the background music in a horror-house. 5/5

Love Song: Reminds me of some of the Caravan Stunning Cu......errr i mean Cunning Stunts tracks with the typical Canterbury style along with some great singing and violin work. The slow part picks up pace and turns into a complex Yes-like part which then gives back to the slow pace and in come dual slide guitars, very Pink Floydy indeed. 5/5

7 Flowers Street: Very pretty Folky dual acoustic guitar and violin calms down the frenzy. Truly beautiful, and picks up into a faster paced jazz/fusion section. 5/5

One Minute Prayer: A sped up and reversed prayer of some kind with a backing track, very psychadelic. 4/5

Lonely violin Crying for Peace: Nice violin in the beginning followed by a jam session with rhodes at the forefront and some fretless bass. 4/5

Stampede: Another great jazz/fusion rocker with some synth thrown in for good measure and lots of tasty psyched out violin,guitar and sweet bass lines. 4/5

Soon the war is over: Obviously the singer listened to VDGG because a few parts are mediocre attempts at Peter Hammill (but then again every attempt at Peter Hammill would be a bad attempt wouldn't it, he can't be touched!), but it doesn't really detract from the quality of the song which is great. After the botched PH attempt, everything is beautiful as long as you can get beyond the Israeli accent. The end of the song is pretty epic and a great way to end this fantastic album! 5/5

4+5+5+5+5+4+4+4+5= 39/9 =4.33 which has to be rounded to 5 to recify a little of the injustice that has been done to this superb gem! Do not hesitate to check this album out, especially if you're into intricate, beautiful prog with a fusion emphasis. And isn't it just also cool to be able to say that you have an Israeli prog album! Highly Reccomended!

The thing I like best about reviewing this album is; not that 73 percent of the people who have reviewed this album have given it a 1 star review, it's not that this album is definately Symphonic Prog instead of Jazz Rock, it's that I can give this album a 2 star review and it actually IMPROVES the score. I can sleep better at night now that I know I help a struggling Isralie band out.

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But, right. This album seriously isn't very good at all. It's okay as just some music to listen to while you talk to some friends or... do... something that doesn't involve you focusing on this music. And for that! I will give it a 2 star review. It's a good attempt and it is almost definately prog sooo... I will give Zingale the benifit of the doubt. Anyway... I don't think I will ever listen to this seriously under-complex album but... it was an okay addition to my collection. Don't go out of your way looking for this album, don't even have it in your possession... but maybe give it a listen if you find yourself able to.

Zingale is an old Israeli progressive rock band. In my opinion they don't play fusion but typical symphonic progressive rock like Yes (at least, not the fusion that i know). Most of this album in my opinion isn't really good, the hebrew songs are quite awful, however , there is one outstanding instrumental tune that is called Stampede. This tune is delightful! I recommend you listen to this album just for this single tune, otherwise this album can totally be passed.

Israeli prog-rock, with a flair of folk coming from Tony Brower's violin work. The arrangements are cute, the singing is mediocre (not much of an English accent). The melodies are nice and memorable. The album has a nice sentimental, naive touch to it. All that talk of peace and love is very 60's. Nice for people who like keyboard-violin dialouge and improvisations. The Fender Rhodes keyboard work of Adi Weiss is pretty jazz-rocky. Good effort from an obscure country...but not essential in any way.