Tzahara - Tzarte Töne from Germany 1983

A more acoustic and complex offering from that period in the early eighties when the Germans could musically do no wrong, this features the more intellectual side of the artistic zeitgeist versus the smooth radio-friendly side as evidenced by Oktagon.  Very beautiful and ECM-dreamy-like, I marvel that this period had to end... why did it have to end?  Ah yes, now I remember: Nena and her "Neunundneunzig Luftballons"...

1974 and The New One from Tequila-- the Danish band, that is.

from rateyourmusic:

"Danish band Tequila (not to be confused with various other ensembles with the same name) arose on the ashes of the excellent quirky Danish jazz-rock band Dr. Dopo Jam. Featuring nobody other than DDJ's mastermind Kristian Pommer, Tequila played in a more streamlined funky fusion style, with even a slight latin touch, not that uncommon for mid-1970s Denmark (think Buki Yamaz and the likes). Still, Pommer's trademark eccentricity did shine through, so be prepared for some creepy voiceovers, sudden tempo shifts and unexpected zany interludes in the purest Zappa tradition. While not on the same level as DDJ's first two records (really, what else can even come close to that?), this is a fine album that sadly remains pretty much unknown."

I hope I'm not the only one who finds it downright odd that the Danish would have a predilection for mexican music and influences, as you can see from track 8: "Walther Jensen's Jalisco Chicken" in which they discuss Mexican chili and various recipe ingredients of the aforementioned unfortunate avian.  When I first heard this I swore it must be a US band, except for the accents or rather lack thereof on the part of the singers, but when I looked at the back scan my friend sent I realized these chicks are no American girls-- no-- instantly one detects that special European femaleness from the photograph that we know and love.  And, as with my comments about the North Illinois Jazz Ensemble and their female singer, one would expect-- nay, require-- that the female vocalists had sex with every male member of the band (except the unfortunate loser in the tuxedo shirt maybe), well probably each other too, and then all of them simultaneously, would be another strong bet I would be willing to make-- I mean, this was the early seventies, guys, c'mon...  Does anybody remember the old Euro-film, "I am curious (yellow)?"  Notorious as one of the first movies in which the starlet spent almost the whole movie naked in her now-shockingly hairy glory, it was banned as pornography in the US but released in several different colors in Europa, hence the odd title ...

I feature this album because I think it's really good and hugely enjoyable, as the above quote said, if you're not expecting too much complexity-- it has here and there Zappa influences, Cos-like female playfulness, and some really strong fusion tracks (esp. track 12, Mocca Java).  They did another record before this one that is distinctly inferior, being ordinary folk-country-rock.

But Track 8, Jalisco Chicken is an immortal song.  Check it out:

"Now he's a heavy man,
playing in a jazzy band--
The man is a born jazz trooper
Jalisco chicken tastes super--
Make it as strong as you like --
it keeps you up shitting all night--
and with Tequila it's a really good fix
makes it like a gastronomical bliss
and remember what the fella tells ya
you gotta have some soul to help ya!"





After which time the synthesizer-- amazingly-- attempts to make the sound of ... you know what ...

For something a little bit less spicy if the former gave you indigestion consider track 11, This Bossa Nova, Another Day - Another Tune:





One last remark, regarding Dr. Dopojam.  For me and I know for many others, this band is hugely overrated, despite what the above reviewer seems to indicate, their first 2 albums are difficult for me to enjoy as a diehard progressive rock fan, having too much silliness and ordinary music in them. But they did make a progressive masterpiece finally-- in 1981.  The album "Midnight Cruisin'" really has it all-- impressive progressive moves, symphonic tracks, hard-ass fusion, etc.  The track "Mists Sits" for me has always been an absolute exemplar of ne plus ultra progressiveness, strange chords, instruments, original composition, etc. etc.  Real masterpiece there and strongly recommended.

Now please enjoy one order of Jalisco chicken!!!

Various Artists from Helvetia ‎– Nationales Finale 1979 Open Air Römisches Theater Augst Rock & Pop Vol. 2

Oh that wonderful progressive rock sound: the crashing minor second dissonances, the angular tritones, the abrupt tempo changes, the unexpected modulations that provide such intense variety, the changes in direction in one song from ballad to uptempo, the miraculously original amalgams of instruments like flutes with electric guitars, synths with acoutis guitars, mellotrons with anything... the borrowings from baroque music or from Bartok and Stravinsky, the ingenuity applied to creating novel chord progressions, the overall energy and youthful creative spirit applied to rock composition… the lush mellotrons, the choppy superfast electric guitar scales, the twelve-string guitars and lutes, the plaintive oboes, bowed cellos, otherwordly amplified reverbed violins, awe-inspiring unison virtuoso playing...

Suffice it to say this album, a fantastic find from my friend (the other one, the one with deep and seemingly inexhaustible piggybanks), has this all in enough quantities to really satisfy the most demanding fan.  Almost all bands here are one-off as far as I know except Irrwisch who put out quite a few records well-known to the prog fan (their track is an adorable almost typical late-seventies pop song), the band called "Aladdin" provided a superb song to the "Second Chance"  LP about Der Zauberer (the magician).  Sadly these guys were not able to record a whole LP, though they were one hundred percent on the right track on the stairway to progressive heaven.

Consider the first track, by a band called Ephesus: "SiebenSchlafer" just about has it all, starting with fugue-like interplaying between organ and electric guitar in a composition reminiscent of Debussy, or certain parts of the Night on Bald Mountain, we get some very ingenious, classical-derived passages only to hear 5/9ths of the way through the famous G minor chord on synthesized strings of Wish You Were Here's Shine etc. Part 1 with which we are all so familiar, as different instruments pay homage by playing figures atop, then it switches direction again to a very composed passage as the electric guitarist goes nuts shredding the ELP organ in his harpsichord-like staccato absolutely to bits on soloing.  Simply fabulous.

But equally remarkable is the band generically called "Fusion" (notice it's the thirtieth such identically named band in this database!) who play a "Haunted Swing Illusion" that is really a Bach-like fugue played by flute above electric guitar.  In its insistently varied and creative composition I feel at times I'm listening to mega-superstars of Swiss prog Circus, one of the bands that convinced me long ago that progressive rock is the music for me.  In particular the virtuosity of all the musicians will have you fall off the chair, guaranteed, if not the fact the momentum never lets up.  How very sad these guys didn't record a full LP!  Be sure to pay attention to this track, the fourth.

Track A1, Siebenschläfer:



 

Track B3, Augst, a wonderful derivative of Soft Machine, or perhaps Supersister's imitation form of Soft Machine:







A monumental find.  

Oktagon's Orientation in 1982

In the case of this album I wanted to mention the artist, who is Herbert Nauderer.  I've always loved this kind of science fiction art since childhood, fantasy art as it's called.  It is very much inspired by the old surrealists like Max Ernst but the cold and stark symbolism inspired by modern machines is so much more poetically beautiful and sophisticated.

This is a relatively smooth fusion band with a great deal of inventive, progressive composition, that of course did two albums.  Their first ST album is very good.  They later evolved into the band Zara-thustra.  Maybe you could compare it with Dauner's United Jazz and Rock Ensemble with the slight big band tendencies, or the prognotfrog discovery Noctett, or perhaps Senora and Looser's Game in smoothness.

Please observe that on this rip tracks 5 and 6 could not be separated.

Carita Holmström's Second album which translates as Toinen Levy (1974)

I am not sure to what degree the previous installment from this artist was enjoyed as there were relatively few comments in proportion to downloads-- in a ratio of perhaps one to a hundred-- which I understand is the norm for blogs from reading other laments elsewhere, but I thought it worthwhile to post her second which is instead sung in Finnish thereby concealing the meanings from myself personally, but it's equally remarkable and deeply beautiful.  There are quite a few 'missing' albums in her discography, that is, not appearing in such databases as discogs or rateyourmusic, and now the search is on to find some more of those possibly lost sunken treasures…

I will post as sample the track which stood out the most to me, which is A5.  My friend ripped his personal record for us all and for the community at large, if not for posterity, thereby making it available for everyone free and I thank him most profusely.  (A different collector here is involved than the previous post's Thomas Clausen connection though equally valuable and beloved).

A5 Katseita On Täynnä Avaruus:




Space full of glances--
strange innocence shines from them
--expressions of wondering
--frightened faces
How did it happen?

Eyes large, consider the heavens--
hopes, believes of new wonders
--lost, looking for
comfort
for itself.

When the fear is guarding the world--
not spells, people will be able to help.
The powers of heaven are silent
now our world is alone with its
concerns
--it's our fault.

Pure poetry this time.  It's unfortunate she reverted to her mother tongue but I understand the beauty of the lyrics was correspondingly enhanced vis-a-vis the English lyrics employed on the first album.