SYMBIOSIS

A band from Czechoslovakia that I'd not heard of before this album. How such wonderful and creative music was coming out of Communist countries is a bit of a mystery to me--as well as how they were gaining access behind the "Iron Curtain" to the "Western" music that was obviously inspiring is equally curious. I might need to bone up on my 20th Century history a little.

1. "Ze tmy do světla (From Dark to Light)" (6:05) plodding, cinematic music that is suddenly disrupted by an androgenous, at-times almost Janis Joplin ("Pearl")-like vocal from Joan Duggan: singing Portia's famous "The quality of mercy is not strained, ?" from William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. while employing a little of John McLaughlin's "Resolution" beneath parts of it. (8.75/10)

2. "Ztracená láska (Lost Soul)" (6:05) a much-more-blues-rock song with raspy Pearl-like vocals singing what sounds like more famous poetry over some Jeff Beck like heavy blues-rock music. Joan Duggan's voice is strong, powerful, confident, and definitely the best part of these songs, but it's raw, bluesy style is not usually one of my favorites. Maybe the excellent musicianship beneath her helps elevate her performances. (8.875/10)

3. "Hvězdný pták (Starbird)" (7:25) opens as a beautiful, heavily emotional song to support the gorgeous vocal (in English) from Joan Duggan. Though slow and sometimes simple (and plodding) the music of the first three and a half minutes is filled with so many wonderfully interesting and engaging nuances and flourishes, and then there is an all- instrumental period in the fifth and sixth minutes in which electric guitar and electric piano get the chance to solo-- and then the shift to Latin rhythms and scatting for the final 0:45 is totally wonderful. Not your usual prog lover's jazz- rock fusion song, but an excellent song anyway: great melodies (14/15)

4. "Čaroděj (The Wizard)" (16:25) opens with 75 seconds of gentle electric piano play before bass line, rhythm guitar line, and drums and percussion line up to set up the Latinized rock foundation over which Joan Duggan again sings. She is quite a talent! After a couple of minutes supporting the vocal, the rhythm section continues on in the same SANTANA-like vein in support of a nice Martin Kratochvíl electric piano solo. In the seventh minute we see the return of Joan Duggan in the spotlight. I really like her vocal style: it reminds me a bit of Annette Peacock. Guitarist Frantiek Francl gets a little shine in the eighth minute before the music completely stops to allow some spacious electric piano chords to support electric bassist Vladimr Padrůněk's solo over the next two minutes. I really enjoy the dynamic range exhibited in this one: the upbeat happy-go-lucky parts supporting Joan's fun vocal contrasted with the heavier, more serious passage given to the bass solo and beyond. The musicians fall a little into more rudimentary blues-rock toward the end, but it's still a great listen. (27.5/30)

5. "Epilogue" (3:25) dreamy electric piano, electric bass, and "distant" horns and percussion populate this instrumental's sonic field as we bring the album to a close. It's a cross between Rainer Brüninghaus and "Auld Lang Syne." (8.75/10)

Total Time 39:25

To my mind (and ears), this is album's music is a step backwards for this band--or, at least, as step away from Jazz- Rock Fusion (which is, I have to admit, what I'm always hoping to find) and more into heavy blues-rock.

A-/4.5 stars; a minor-masterpiece of interesting and unusual vocal jazz-rock music.