Prazsky Vyber: 1978 Mini Jazz Klub, 1978 Zizen, 1987 Tatrman, 1989 Straka v Hrsti

 

Discogged:

Czech rock-jazz group, also known as “The Prague Selection”. Originally formed by Michael Kocáb in 1975 as a jazz combo, featuring the Prague Big Band (aka Pražský big band) rhythm section; the group name is also an ironic reference to a cheap Czech wine brand. Reformed in 1980 as a rock and new wave group. They were also regularly performing as a studio rhythm section, either anonymously or under various monikers (e.g. Elektrovox or even as members of TOČR). Between 1983–1986 prohibited from performing or recording due to communist censorship. Definitively disbanded in December 2005. Revived in 2006 by Kocáb with a Czech-Australian line-up as “Pražský Výběr II”. Reunited in the “classic” 1980s line-up in 2012, including both drummers.

Members 2012: Michael Kocáb (leader, keyboards, vocals), Michal Pavlíček (guitar, vocals), Vilém Čok (bass guitar, vocals), Jiří Hrubeš (drums), Klaudius Kryšpín (drums).

Former members until 1980: Jiří Niederle (saxophone), Ondřej Soukup (bass guitar), Jan Žižka (drums), Zdeněk Fišer (guitar), Vratislav Placheta (drums), Martin Koubek (guitar), Ladislav Malina (drums), Jiří Tomek (vocals, percussion), and numerous guest artists.

Michael Kocab has appeared here before, notably with singer Olmerova.

And you might recall Pavlicek from the brilliant Mini Jazz Klub here, and the Stromboli, and Minotaurus.

The 1978 Zizen (Thirst) fusion is a masterpiece though. Note that keyboardist Kratochvil, of April Orchestra and Jazz Q fame, is on here too.

The track called Cerpadlo has the unmistakable Kratochvil sound to it:

I decided to listen to the later, 1980s albums, but as mentioned these are mostly new wave, with minimal fusion.

From Straka, Bangabaseva:

From Tatrman, the title track:

Norman Connors 1972 Dance of Magic, 1973 Dark of Light, 1974 Love from the Sun, 1975 Slewfoot

 

Some nice classic mid-seventies fusion, I was surprised I never heard this artist before, despite obviously the stellar involvement of Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Eddie Henderson, etc.  Here are the first 4 albums.

Brief bio:

American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and artist.

Born: 1 March 1947 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Connors was born and raised in Philadelphia, having an interest in jazz from an early age when he began playing drums. At elementary school he was exposed to jazz extensively, becoming heavily influenced by drummer Lex Humphries – the younger brother of bassist and Jazz-Messenger player, Spanky DeBrest. Once sitting-in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance he attended while in middle school, Connors went on to study music at Temple University and Juilliard.

His first recording was for Archie Shepp's "The Magic Of Ju-Ju" (1967), then continuing by playing with Pharoah Sanders for the next few years, before signing to Buddah Records sublabel Cobblestone, where he recorded his first release as a bandleader with album "Dance Of Magic" (1972). Connors began to focus more on R'n'B material in the mid-1970s after signing with Buddah Records, later becoming the label's A&R manager.

He went on to lead jazz recordings with Carlos Garnett, Gary Bartz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Herbie Hancock. In the mid-1970s, when turning to sophisticated R'n'B and soul material, he recorded work featuring guest singers such as Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, Phyllis Hyman, Al Johnson, Jones Girls, among others, with his work becoming a main staple of jazz-fusion and jazz dance followers, with tracks including "Mother Of The Future" from album "Slew Foot" (1974), "Captain Connors" from album "This Is Your Life" (1977), et al.

From 1973's Dark of Light, the absolutely gorgeous emotional and complexity of Twilight Zone:

From 1974's Slewfoot, another meditative composition called Dreams:

T. Lavitz and Players, USA 1987

 

T. Lavitz has appeared here on this blog before, with his solo output, with Electric Tigers, with Jeff Berlin.

Bio:

American jazz-rock/fusion keyboardist, composer and producer (Lakewood, NJ, 16 April 1956 - 7 October 2010). Commonly known as just "T", he started intensive studies of classical and jazz piano at age seven. By twenty-two, he was asked to joiin the band Dixie Dregs.

So the music is typical smooth late US fusion like all of the above.  This album is from 1987 and features Berlin as well.

Here's a fine track called Crystal:

Jean Schultheis' Hot Time 1976

 

Drummer Schultheis appeared on the Christian Gaubert album, this is his contribution to the library music library.  He was also on the Chez Jean-Claude Petit 1974 library posted back here.

Databased here.  It presents a nice mix of fusion and library tracks.

African Reverie:

Cosmic Labyrinthe:

Ageness from Finland, Post-Scarab: 1992 Showing Paces, 1995 Rituals, 1997 Imageness, 2009 Songs from the Liar's Lair [limited time only]

 

Similar in style to well known Swiss neoprog band, Flame Dream.  But just what you'd expect from the semi-prog band Scarab continuing forth into the dreaded 1980s and onwards to the glorious 1990s.

However, as neo it's quite good, consider New World Anthem from the first, with the great Gabriel impersonation, complete with ridiculous lyrics plus silly voices near the end:

As usual, it amazes me this came out in the same year Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and alternative broke through and made a clean sweep through 90 percent of the music scene.

From the 2009 Liar's Lair, the Sons of Madness to me at least sounds imitably like old Flame Dream: