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Your Top 10 Eastern Bloc 1970s J-R Fusion albums
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BrufordFreak View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 27 2024 at 11:39
I've been on a massive exploration of the beginning and "Classic Years" of Jazz-Rock Fusion for the past year.
I've been so impressed with how many bands from "behind the Iron Curtain" produced great albums during this decade. Here are my 10 Favorite so far (in order):

SBB Pamiec (1976) from Poland (Upper Silesia) 
FIRYUZA / Фирюза Firyuza / Фирюза (1979) from Soviet Union (Turkmenistan) 
SBB Memento Z Banalnym Tryptikiem (1981) from Poland (Upper Silesia) 
DEN ZA DEN Den Da Zen (1980) from Yugoslavia (Macedonia) 
FERMATA Huascaran (1977) from Czechoslovakia (Slovakia) 
LABORATORIUM Modern Pentathalon (1976) from Poland 
JAZZ Q Pozorovatelna (The Watchtower) (1973) from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic) 
GUNESH ENSEMBLE Gunesh (1980) from Soviet Union (Turkmenistan) 
TIHOMIR POP ASANOVIC Majko Zemljo (1974) from Yugoslavia (Macedonia) 
ENERGIT Energit (1975) from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic) 
IZVIR Izvir (1977) from Yugoslavia (Slovenia) 
IMPULS Impuls (1977) from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic) 


 
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Points: 20202 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sean Trane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2024 at 14:16
I put in everything from the old "Eastern Bloc", not always JR/F and not always 70's-only, but very often

12           Compassionizer                 Narrow Is the Road      Rus        2022     

12           Szabo, Gabor    Macho Hun       1975     

11           Fermata              Fermata              Svk         1975      Fusion

11           Fermata              Huascaran          Svk         1977      Fusion

11           Flamengo           Kure V Hodinkach           Cze        1972     

11           Fren      Where Do You Want Ghosts to Reside Pol         2020     

11           Fren      Wiosna                Pol         2022                      

11           Igra Staklenih Perli          Igra Staklenih Perli          Ser         1979     

11           Kolyadin, Gleb  Gleb Kolyadin   Rus        2018     

11           Korai Öröm        Korai Öröm        Hun       1995                      

11           Modry Efekt      Modry Efekt & Radim Hladik      Cze        1975     

11           Modry Efekt      Svitanie               Cze        1977     

11           More Experience            From Acid Dreams          Pol         1997     

11           Phoenix               Cantofabule      Rom      1975     

11           Plastic People of the Universe  Kolejnice Duni (Rails Rumble) (1977-1982)          Cze        1982  
   
10           Collegium Musicum       Konvergencie   Svk         1971     

10           Collegium Musicum       Collegium Musicum & Marian Varga      Svk         1975     

10           Fermata              Piesen Z Hol (Songs from Ridges)            Svk         1976      Fusion

10           Igra Staklenih Perli          Soft Explosion Live         Ser         1978       

10           Kornelyans         Not an Ordinary Life      Ser         1974     

10           Korni Grupa       Korni Grupa       Ser         1972     

10           Leb I Sol               Leb I Sol               Mac       1978     

10           Leb I Sol               2             Mac       1979                      

10           Metamorphosis               Dip         Cze        2002                      

10           Namyslowski, Zbigniew               Winobranie (Wine Feast)            Pol         1973     

10           Narajama            Vytancuj chmury             Cze        1996     

10           Narajama            V Tom Vine Je Nalhano                Cze        1997     

10           Phoenix               Mugur de Fluier               Rom      1973     

10           Plastic People of the Universe  Pulnocni Mys (Midnight Mouse)             Cze        1986     

let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Points: 8158 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2024 at 09:08
Thanks, Hughues! There are definitely a few here I'll be checking out (though nothing beyond the 1980s). 

I've given Modry Efekt many chances to impress me but it backfires every time: I keep getting a sour feeling to all of their blues-based sounds and constructs. I think that's the main thing. That and their lack of effects and pure "rock" sound. They might be impressive instrumentalists but their music is just not something I've been able tolerate for long. 

I forgot to include Fermatá's debut in my list.
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Points: 14984 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2024 at 09:39

A very good idea of a thread except from I only can make a top 3 Embarrassed (alphabetically):

Fermata (CSSR) - Piesen z Hol (1976)
The Gunesh Ensemble (USSR) - Gunesh (1980)
SBB (PPR) - 2: Nowy Horyzont (1975)

and I'm even not quite sure that I'll consider Nowy Horyzont as Jazz-Rock, even definitely much influenced by Mahavishnu.


Edited by David_D - August 28 2024 at 12:31
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Something else, Drew, I reckon you're aware of that the term "behind the Iron Curtain" is a very political one.
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Points: 8158 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2024 at 06:09
Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:


Something else, Drew, I reckon you're aware of that the term "behind the Iron Curtain" is a very political one.

Yes, David. Thank you. I've been quite unsure as to how to address the topic. Slava (snobb) over at JMA has been helping me a lot. He uses the terms "Eastern Bloc," "former Soviet Union," and "socialist governments" quite freely. I only went with the term I knew because it's the one I've heard most all my life. (Notice: I did enclose the phrase in quotation marks. This was my effort to acknowledge that there are a variety of terms with which to address the topic. I was hoping, perhaps naïvely, that PA grownups would understand that to which I am referring. My intention is purely to express my sincere enthusiasm and respect for the bands/albums and their music.)

P.S. Your own list, David, gives me two albums to check out that I have not yet heard. Thanks!
 


Edited by BrufordFreak - August 30 2024 at 06:11
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Mellotron Storm View Drop Down
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I'd like to try to come up with something here. I've really been enjoying your Jazz and related reviews Drew. Bringing back some good memories with some of those.
I'm sure there will be many from your list and Hugues's list as well that will make mine.
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Points: 14984 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2024 at 08:40

I'd like to add a couple of albums to my toplist:

Niemen Aerolit / N.AE.  (PPR)  -  Niemen Aerolit   (1975),   not quite Jazz-Rock but I think, rather close to

”Arsenal” Ensemble  (USSR)  -  Created with their own Hands  (1983),   not from the '70s but also close to
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Points: 13407 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mellotron Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2024 at 16:36
Trying to keep it to 70s Jazz Fusion I have five plus one.
SBB- Karlstad Live
Michal Urbaniac- Constellation '73 live
Jazz Q- The Watch-Tower
Energit- s/t
Coronarias Dans- Visitor
And the plus one is the Jazz Q/Blue Effect album Conionctio.
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Points: 5244 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hrychu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2024 at 16:45
Quote Coronarias Dans- Visitor

Denmark was an Eastern Bloc country?
“On the day of my creation, I fell in love with education. And overcoming all frustration, a teacher I became.”
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Points: 14984 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote David_D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 31 2024 at 05:51
Originally posted by Hrychu Hrychu wrote:

Quote Coronarias Dans- Visitor

Denmark was an Eastern Bloc country?

I guess, someones would say "almost". Big smile
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Points: 2920 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MortSahlFan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Yesterday at 09:55
I like Jazz Q. I'll definitely check out the links, because I like "different". I seem to notice European 70s prog. Esperanto isn't in the Eastern bloc, but Imants Kalniņš is. I'll try to look for more and make sure they fit the criteria, and I'll post YouTube links (the band's channel always has the best sound quality)




Edited by MortSahlFan - Yesterday at 09:58
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition

https://www.scribd.com/document/382737647/MortSahlFan-Song-List
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In recognition of wonderful but lesser-known Eastern European jazz-rock/fusion albums, I have included hyperlinks and set my selection chronologically.

Jazz Q (Czech Republic) – Pozorovatelna (The Watch-Tower) (1973)
Radomir Mihailović Točak (ex-Yugoslavia – Serbia) – R.M.Točak (1976)
Izvir (ex-Yugoslavia – Slovenia) – Izvir (1977)
Leb i Sol (ex-Yugoslavia – Northern Macedonia) – Leb i Sol (1977)
Leb i Sol (ex-Yugoslavia – Northern Macedonia) – Leb i Sol 2 (1978)
Bohemia (Czech Republic) – Zrnko písku (1978)
Leb i Sol (ex-Yugoslavia – Northern Macedonia) – Ručni rad (1979)
Sončna Pot (ex-Yugoslavia – Slovenia) – Sončna pot (1979)
Miki Petkovski (ex-Yugoslavia – Serbia) – Ko zna (1979)
37°C (ex-Yugoslavia – Serbia) – Sidarta (recorded in 1979; released only in 2017)


edit: Since the jazz-rock/fusion scene was still thriving in Eastern Europe in the 1980s, I honourably mention these five masterpieces from the 80s, even though I'm cognisant that the thread title requested the 70s stuff.

Extra Ball (Poland) – Mosquito (1980)
Den Za Den (ex-Yugoslavia – Northern Macedonia) – Den za den (1980)
Modrý Efekt (Czech Republic) – 33 (1981)
Vladimir Furduj Furda (ex-Yugoslavia – Serbia) – Furda (1985)
Quatebriga (ex-Yugoslavia – Slovenia) – The Choice of the New Generation (1987)

Edited by Starshiper - 17 hours 36 minutes ago at 05:13
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