|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2CD
|
|
SU 5592CD
|
2004 release. "On May 16, 2004, the station Radio Beat inducted three Czech legends into the new Beat Hall of Fame: Vladimir Misik, Jiri Schelinger (in memoriam) and the band Blue Effect, whose profile double CD was released immediately afterwards. The first of the discs was compiled on the basis of Radio Beat listeners voting for their favorite songs, the second was put together by the band's frontman Radim Hladik and the journalists Radek Diestler and Vojtech Lindaur. It features five rarity concert recordings made in 1973, the composition 'Golem' from the long-unavailable LP Stare Povestie Ceske (Old Czech Legends) and, most notably, a large part of the studio recordings of a series of musical settings of Jiri Wolker's poems, which the band recorded for Pilsen's Alfa theater in 1979. The extensive booklet comes with unique photographs, a detailed calendar, the producers' notes and texts written by the band's contemporaries Ondrej Konrad and Vojtech Lindaur. And what's more, over sixty minutes of recordings are appearing on CD for the very first time."
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
9CD BOX
|
|
SU 5990CD
|
$69.00
NOT IN STOCK, SPECIAL ORDER
9CD collection of this Czech prog band, featuring Radim Hladík of The Matadors. "The Blue Effect continued in the spirit of The Matadors, playing superb r&b material with Radim Hladík's fuzz guitar in charge. In 1969 they recorded their first single 'Slucený Hrob' and an untitled 4-track EP. Their album Meditace (1970) was great. 'Pamet Lásky' opened the album with threatening Gothic voices, narrative lead vocals and careful orchestration, much like a post Soviet invasion requiem. The other tracks ranged from Yardbirds-like sitar excursions and blues-rock highlighting the flute (similar to vintage Jethro Tull) to well-written pop-psychedelia in the typical late sixties tradition. It seems that Vladimir Misík left The Blue Effect after a dispute over lyrics. He wanted to sing English lyrics, which didn't exactly please the Czech authorities. Misík joined the second version of Flamengo, but still had to sing Czech lyrics on their 1972-album (it was banned anyway!). His place was soon occupied by Le?ek Semelka, a vocalist with a very unique style. Hladik, Cozel and Cech then embarked on the first of three experimental recordings, attempting to combine free jazz and beat with Jazz Q Praha featuring Jirí Stivín. The sound of Coniunctio will puzzle the ears of many listeners, as this is considerably different to early Western attempts to combine jazz and rock at the time. The New Synthesis albums are indeed even stranger, recorded with the Czechoslovak Radio Jazz Orchestra. Judging by their playing techniques, these professional musicians collectively seemed to ignore any new developments in jazz since 1960 (and rock was totally out of the question). The result was not a 'synthesis' but two different generations of musicians playing on top of (but not with) each other. A self-titled and largely instrumental progressive rock album was recorded in 1973, but not released until two years later. Two tracks were over 10 minutes long and ideal showcases for Hladik's intricate style (somewhere between Jan Akkcrman and the non-Latin jazz-rock style of Carlos Santana). His reputation as the best guitar player in Eastern Europe has a lot to do with this album. In 1975 Hladik reformed the group (now as M. Efekt) with Cech and two new members: Fedor Fre?o from Bratislava had been the bass player in Collegium Musicum (and he would later join Fermata) and Oldrich Veselý from Brno, the keyboard-player of Synkopy 61 (later relaunched as Synkopy). Their album Svitanie (1977) marked a turn towards a more lyrical and symphonic approach with a wide array of keyboards (ARP, siring ensemble, pianos and organ). Some aspects of this new sound resemble Yes circa 1972-73. Svet Hledacu (1979) was recorded after the departure of Freso. He was replaced by the returning Le?ek Semelka, who in the meantime had played in the group Bohemia. The album fulfilled the M. Efekt-concept of long, elaborate tracks. It's interesting to note that no bass player was employed. This was also the case on their final album, 33."
|