Вижу Землю / LOOKING AT THE EARTH

Going through the tons of albums I have from Turkmenistan (ha!), I think i've found a favorite! The GUNESH ENSEMBLE (sometimes found only as Гунеш (GUNESH) was a highly eclectic and energetic group led by drummer Rishard Shafi. They were masters of jazz-fusion mixed with all things Central Asian folk including haunting chants and exotic instruments. Of course they even had a Vietnamese singer! After their first album of mostly folk material they really stepped it up and created something truly unique and unbelievable.

Вижу Землю (Looking At Earth) in an unearthly amalgation of musical majesticness. The album begins with a whispering wind and some temple bells before Russian dialogue ushers in some seriously deranged funkiness and energetic percussion and horns with some strange electronic 'talking.' The jazz-fusion doesn't waste any time getting warmed up. You know you're in for a very wild ride with this one. The album continues to surprise with abrupt changes but quite capable of sustaining a beautiful melody in the form of song or chant. The interplay of 10 plus instruments may be going on at any given moment. Absent are any influences from Western bands. All sounds original and isolated like it was all created in a remote area that still hasn't made contact with the Western world. However parts do remind me of Italian avant-proggers Area and the last cut sounds like a traditional Vietnamese song meets the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

If you like eclectic world fusion then you will love this. Must hear to believe.This album had only one vinyl release in 1981 and is probably impossible to find but fear not. Rishad Shafi released the first two albums on CD titled "Rishad Shafi Presents Gunesh."

4.5 stars. GUNESH ENSEMBLE formed in Russia in 1970 as an all vocal band using "state" musicians for live shows mostly. They sang traditional folk songs for the most part. They were very much a collective, and as the seventies progressed they were adding musicians until they were a band, releasing their debut in 1980 with a Vietnamese female vocalist. "Looking At Earth" is their second and final recording from 1984 and features different singers bringing a world music vibe along with the few ethnic instruments that are in play. I do get the jazz fusion tag here with that drummer and bassist especially, and the occasional horn, not the blasting brass parts though.

There are eleven musicians plus vocalists on here. That closer "Vietnamese Frescoes" is like a visit to their previous album with those female Vietnamese vocals early on. Some powerful drumming followed by ethnic sounds. I have to say the first band that this record made me think of was ICEBERG out of Spain, and that's completely because of the drummer here, playing in that fast paced intricate style. He only knows one speed. The clavinet on here is awesome, and the violin is prominent later in the album, and is very impressive.

The album opens with the wind blowing for some time along with church bells ringing before it's like we're listening to a sample from a movie of guys talking including radio transmissions. There's an explosion too at one point before the clavinet comes out of this on fire before 2 minutes. Fast paced drums are in tow and then those five horn players lay down the law. Blasting in unity and the bass stands out too. This is all so good. Jazzy late with sax and more.

The second track "Bu Derdy" is another uptempo tune with the drums leading the way early on. An ethnic direction will follow after a gong. Some deep and I mean deep spoken words arrive at 3 minutes. It's spacey here. Ethnic male vocals follow sounding great, this is melancholic and we get some sitar too when the vocals stop. Multi-vocals are crying out late. The first two tracks along with "Rhythm Of The Caucasus" are my top three. The latter is the longest at 8 1/2 minutes. The clavinet is a great way to start as horns and more follow including violin. Guitar at 1 1/2 minutes. Ethnic vocals are crying out before 3 1/2 minutes in a powerful atmosphere. How good do those vocals sound a minute later. Drums lead around 5 1/2 minutes as the violin solos.

"Oriental Express" honestly sounds like a BRAND X track with those intricate sounds and drums leading the way. Very jazzy and we will get plenty of horns as well as guitar. A Fusion workout right there. "Wind From The Gang" and that Vietnamese closer keep me from rating this the full five stars. Still, I am into both tracks just not as much as I am the rest. This is an incredible record. Different. But a good different with some real players and singers, so much talent here. This will be high on my "best of" 1984 list.