NE ZHDALI

NE ZHDALI ( or in Russian Не ждали ) was one of the most innovative and adventurous experimental rock bands that arose during the last days of the Soviet Union and one of the first to emerge as an underground sensation once its untimely collapse had taken place. Led by the Moldovan born Lenid Soybelman, the group emerged in what is now Tallinn, Estonia as a bizarre amalgamation of post-punk, funk, Slavic folk, jazz and avant-prog delivered in an energetic zolo spasticity right out of the Zappa playbook. The band's name means something like "They're Not Waiting" and is purported to be a reference to a famous painting.

NE ZHDALI formed in 1987 by high school buddies Soybelman, Ilja Komarov and Andrei Kulagin and in a couple years became a sensation in the Soviet underground by adopting the extreme unpredictable complexities of bands like Henry Cow that were blended into funk rhythms, various folk musical scales and punk infused guitar heft. The band featured Soybelman (guitars, vocals), Ilja Komarov (bass), Vadim Veeremaa (trumpet, alto horn, back vocals), Oleg Davidovitch (trombone, guitar, bells, back vocals), Vitaly Redchits (drums, percussion), Avi Nedzvetsky (steinbach piano) and lead vocalist Andrei Kulgin aka Victor Bitlovsky).

Featuring a talented selection of virtuoso musicians, this allowed NE ZHDALI to experiment with more playful technical workouts while maintaining strong interconnected grooves that somewhat kept in the spirit of Soviet rock bands. After experiencing a rising popularity the band made a trip to Amsterdam where they were allowed to record this debut album that was released in two different forms. While mostly instrumental, the album was released in 1990 in Russian speaking countries as Носороги и другая жизнь with the album cover art depicting a zoom in of a rhino's temple (area on the head) and in the rest of the world as the more familiar RHINOCEROSES AND OTHER FORMS OF LIFE that featured an out of focus background with a peacock in the lefthand foreground. Both were featured on the ADM label but the album was released once again two years later on the French label Ayaa with a yet a different peacock cover.

Sounding something like a mix of avant-punk styles in the vein of the Dutch band The Ex with avant-prog weirdness of both Frank Zappa and Henry Cow with oft celebratory sounds in the vein of Samla Mammas Manna, the album ranges from playful funk guitar fueled tracks with a brass section to more homegrown folk sounds especially when the band belts out the vocal segments which pop out of the blue and don't really occur too often on this debut. The stylistic changes are often but the band maintained an even keel approach about how it rationed out these changes. This was just the beginning. The band would release several more albums before it went inactive after the 1998 release "Polio d'Oro" and Soybelman has become one of the top avant-rock guys in all of Europe after having relocated to Berlin.

RHINOCEROSES AND OTHER FORMS OF LIFE is an excellent testament to the wild and creative spirit barreling through the trials and tribulations of a totalitarian government trying to quash any such innovation and freeing of the soul. NE ZHDALI exhibits on this debut a keen understanding of the world of avant-prog, post-punk, jazz and its local folk music heritage and weaves it all together to beautifully and creative that nothing else sounds like this. There's not a bad track on this one however the closing "Bossa III The melody" comes off as a little weak in comparison to the wild and wacky procession of zaniness and technical workouts that precede. This band still lurks in the underground but for those who are seeking more of those punk fueled bands that mixed seasoned prog complexities into the mix then this is one not to be missed.

Ne Zhdali (Unexpected) has a very interesting but short discography. Their albums are generally driven by wind instruments with strong folk inffluences from Mid and Eastern Europe and this album is not the exception but with a plus: sounds more mature than the previous ones.

Perhaps there are some weak songs such as "Petunja" or "Bulb", there are really brilliant moments along the album starting with "The 8th Day" is a strong opener full of complex arrangements that reminds me some Doctor Nerve stuff, specially in the closing epic section. The next song "Uke" is a short but nice wind driven melodical song with strong Mid and Eastern Europe folk reminiscences and it's another highlight along with "Kansas" and "Nothing Was Happen!"

But the jewels of the album are "Argonauts (Pollo D'Oro)" and "Wheel of Fortune". "Argonauts" is a complex piece in the style of bands such as Uz Jsme Doma, very dark and creepy mixed with some melodical sections which leads to very harmonic and floating moments; "Wheel Of Fortune" starts with a quiet and almost floating intro that leads into obscure and psyncopated rhytmical sections with an astonishing work on winds. Both are 5 stars compostions into Ne Zhdali discography.

IMO, the best album into Ne Zhdali discography and a 4* with no hestitation.

Ne Zhdali's third studio album Hey Driver, Cool Down The Horses is a strong effort in the best RIO tradition. This Tallinn-based Estonian band consists mostly of Russo- Estonians, and where there are sung lyrics, they are in Russian.

Just as many other RIO bands, Ne Zhdali expand their instrumentation with brass and various percussion. The result is a nice blend that in certain passages brings the Balkan disco of today into mind. There are also some similarities between them and early Aksak Maboul, and Henry Cow is another obvious godfather. Ne Zhdali have subsequently influenced later RIO bands like Höyry-kone (although I'm not sure they had heard Ne Zhdali).

Most of the tracks are really nice, and the ones that stand out for me are the opener Chrysantemums and the swinging Poitiers. Unfortunately I don't speak Russian, and cannot comment on the lyrics, but the nature of the music is often humorous even without any vocals at all.

I recommend Hey Driver, Cool Down The Horses to anybody who appreciates a good old RIO album!

Final Ne Zhdali album, live recordings from Tokyo concert in 1998. Band's swan song, and obviously their best release. Started as punkish semi acoustic minimalist band in early 90-s, this Estonian band became one of most respectable band from former Soviet Union territories. Their music became different - explosive, much more complex, still with punk roots, but full of screaming guitars, a bit dark and melancholic modern progressive avant-punk.

For those familiar with Japanese punk-avant from late 90-s it is strange and interesting how much this Ne Zhdali concert sound similar to domestic bands! Main difference is still huge dose of Eastern European melancholic melodies and klezmer elements in music.

Few years later (in 1991) band's guitarist Leonid Soybelman will immigrate to Israel, than - to Switzerland and in Berlin. There he will establish his another noisy band - Kletka Red, but it will be another story yet...

If you are new with Ne Zhdali - start with this album.

After their debut, Ne Zhdali's second album is some development of same sound. Piano player Avi Nedzvetsky left the band, and sextet loosed it's classic/jazz element at all. From now their main sound is same DIY combination of mostly acoustic punk-rock energy, Russian urban folklore and avant. There they sing few songs on this album (in Russian, texts are nonsense based on Russian streetwise themes).

Whole sound became more sharp, more explosive, it's obvious musicians feel comfortable now in their music and atmosphere. Still minimalist recording, but with more professional and complex arrangements. Early form of Eastern European punkish avant. Few last album's songs contains heavier electric guitar soloings and some psychedelic influences though.

Some improvement comparing with heir debut and more punkish direction at the same time. Interesting, but still far from great recording.

Debut Estonian band's Ne Zhdali album is very atmospheric minimalist recording. By it's sound it's very similar to classic Bill Frisell's Americana/fusion recordings. Leonid Soybelman is capable guitarist, and after some years he will become one of the best former-USSR avant prog guitarist, but there he is still too safe and only shows some blueprint of his later explosive guitar works.

Music is guitar based, and cold be tagged as " DIY guitar fusion played by avant musicians". Musicianship isn't complex, but more dissonant, with some unusual time signatures and sound jams. But all " avant" elements are added in small dose, it looks, that freaky musicians tried to record album for " normal" listener. As a result all album is quite accessible listening, but too simple for jazz fusion (and in fact has it roots in quite different music), and at the same time too "normal" for being avant records. Some first elements of klezmer and Russian modern urban folk are added; they will become more important on band's later recordings.

Interesting album for fans and researchers, not such attractive for casual listener. Still 3 in my scale.

Split album of American avant-jazz Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet and Estonians Ne Zhdali is last to date release of the later band. Released on grants, there was not too much time for preparing the material, and the listener will easy feel it.

Ne Zhdali by it's nature always was live show avant band, combining circus, klezmer and free jazz elements. With addition of American fee-jazz Quartet, the music became even more chaotic. The first comparison is coming on mind listening to this album is Zorn's Masada or Frank London NY downtown klezmer based free jazz. But....

If Zorn's outside free chaotic sound has very complex inside logic, and Frank London's jazz-klezmer has strong roots, this split album sounds more like not very successful imitation. Separate pieces are really great, but the main problem is there is no logic or structure or concept in this recording at all!

In fact, all compositions sound as just jamming, combining downtown free jazz elements and Ne Zhdali usual klezmer cabaret. Without any idea or concept. For sure, we are on the such musical genre's territory, where it is difficult to use regular categories, as structure. But - everyone with interest to Zorn's music will confirm, that even under the chaotic skin you can feel something, what connect sounds, melodies and noises together. And nothing is connected on Pollo d'Óro.Or let say - it's more punk-klezmer free jazz, attaractive in moments sounds and forms without having too much under the skin.

Still interesting album for free-avant jazz music and klezmer - punk lovers though.