ULTIMA THULE / AUDION EAST-EURO DISCOGRAPHY

East-Euro Discography
a guide to progressive and experimental music from
"Behind The Iron Curtain"
by Steve & Alan Freeman © 1986-2016

cover of the 1994 printed edition

The original introduction...

As promised back in Audion #18, here we present our exhaustive discography of progressive and experimental music from the former "Iron Curtain" European countries. This is something that we believe has not been catalogued before, and thus it should prove to be an indispensable guide to all fans of adventurous music. With the unique political and social climates in these countries, it seems unlikely that the unique music that emanated from there would ever have existed; revolutionary bands like SBB, Collegium Musicum, Osjan, Gunesh, Phoenix, Gorizont, or Kolinda, to name just a few!

As you can well imagine, with no documented catalogues to work from, this was not an easy listing to compile by any means, and also in no way do we claim it to be complete, as the proliferation of quality music in Eastern and Central Europe is so great and very much an ongoing thing. Also, much of it is so hard to find, what with most of the LP product listed here now being deleted, and a lot of it is extremely rare! Thus, without any proper international distribution for such music, it's so easy to miss out on things.

So, what we've attempted to do is: list all groups, musicians and composers of interest who have released something, in the fields of progressive, adventurous or experimental musics, the type of things you would expect to see in the pages of Audion. I have, however, omitted the more mainstream rock and new-wave acts. So if something isn't here, consider that it's probably not listed because it's too commercial. I was going to compile a list of items to avoid, but such a task would be too vast. And, after all, what would be the point?

This new edition...

This is a new unpublished version of the Audion East Euro Discography. Originally authored by Alan Freeman and edited by Steven Freeman, and published in 1993 as a magazine (now out of print). It was then revised and updated by Steve Freeman a decade later with the intention of doing a new printed edition. Back in 2003 however the shear volume of reissues and the lack of online resources meant it was impossible to keep updating and revising for a publication and thus it was put on hold. Steve continued to add some more info up to 2011, and since then a few missing albums, catalogue numbers and dates have been added, with the addition of interesting items from a "research binge" compiled by Alan Freeman in 2015 and a final revision adding everything else I could think of in July/August 2016 when editing this html version.

These discographies generally cover all rock, prog, jazz and fusion (plus some electronic and contemporary music) of the late 1960s through to the early 1980s in all related genres. From the 80s onwards often only those of the prog/fusion/underground genres that continued or were established later are covered. The discographies here generally cut-off at around 2000 (with some exceptions) with release updates and some reissues to circa 2003. The countries covered are those behind the former "Iron Curtain" and all the former Soviet States of the USSR (which when including states like Turkmenistan does go beyond geographical Europe).

A last addition here is the review and article snippets from Audion Magazine and The Crack In The Cosmic Egg, which are shown in italics. Many of these are from the early "Behind The Iron Curtain" articles, or from other reviews and features, much of it written 20-30 years ago (so take that into account please with descriptions and terminology) of which some are abridged to avoid too much duplication.

For simple html compatibility the discography does not use country specific special characters, but only those accessible from a standard English keyboard. Countries here are represented as they are now (to the best of our knowledge).

The East Euro context...

The main reason for making this discography available is that, against all the odds, and with very state controlled censorship, some amazing music slipped through that may never have existed in a standard capitalist music industry. It was an era of unlikely inventions with the jazz and arts fronts trying to make some sense of it and legitimise it all in some way. Thus you had the unlikely things happening like a Czech beat band working with a jazz orchestra creating a music unlike anything anywhere else, Transylvanian, Bohemian and Balkan cultures mixing with rock, jazz and electronic musics, with many unique innovations. There is no other publication or resource that investigates the scene from the viewpoint of an experimental music fan, so it made sense to revise and expand it as much and as informatively as possible. Of course, this is all amongst the huge trudge of safe pop, and dreadful drivel. Hopefully this discography makes sorting out the gems that little bit easier. And, what's more, this edition is completely free!

Top 30

A recommended beginner's guide to rock and fusion albums

Collegium Musicum - Konvergencie / Convergencies

East - Az Aldozat [Szodoma] / The Victim [Sodom]

Electra - Adaptionen

Energit - Energit

Fermata - Fermata

Firyuza - Firyuza

Flamengo - Kure V Hodinkach

Gunesh Ensemble - Looking At The Earth

Horizont - Letniy Gorod / Summer In Town

Igra Staklenih Perli - Igra Staklenih Perli

In Spe - In Spe

Jazz Q Praha - Pozorovatelna / The Watch-Tower

Kaseke - Poletus

Kornelyans - Not An Ordinary Life

Modry Efekt - Svitanie

Niemen / Aerolit - Katharsis

Phoenix - Formatia Phoenix / Cei Ne-Au Dat Nume

The Plastic People - Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned

Progres 2 - Dialog S Vesmirem

Reportaz - Reportaz

Krzysztof Sadowski And His Group - Three Thousand Points

SBB - Nowy Horyzont

Sepsis - Liturgia Bezumia

Sezon Dozhdei - Vozvrashenie

Skaldowie - Krywan Krywan

Solaris - Marsbeli Kronikak / The Martian Chronicles

Soncna Pot - Soncna Pot

Stern Meissen - Reise Zum Mittelpunkt Der Menschen

Tako - Tako

Michal Urbaniak - Super Constellation

Countries

Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia: Czech Republic, Slovakia
East Germany / DDR
Hungary
Poland
Romania
USSR: Russia, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Yugoslavia: Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Yugoslavia

no info known: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Herzegovina, Montenegro

info key

bold type = a useful beginner's guide of highly recommended and/or best albums by an artist.
LP: usually vinyl album, MC: Music Cassette, CD: Compact Disc, 7": single, etc.
> = featured on various artist release (elsewhere in this discography if no release info is given)
/ = either: A / B sides of a record/single, or foreign / English versions of title
# = the referenced line-up relates to the album indicated below
© = known copyright year of the release (dates in front will be recording dates)
"title in quotes" = own translation (except Cyrillic titles with are transliterated)
text like and many more usually indicates a discography cut-off at 1980 (or as deemed appropriate)

BELARUS

Former USSR state during the Eastern bloc years (aka Byelorussia), landlocked between Poland, Russia and other countries.

APPLE TEA

Igor Satsevich (bass guitar), Alexander Sapega (drums), Oleg Doroshin (guitar) and Sergei Lapkovski (keyboards).

Lightweight jazz-fusion in ECM vein with Scandinavian edges, and a little Chick Corea in the piano. They have other more recent releases.

SYABRY

The band name means Friends, and they were led by one Valentin Badyarovu featuring members of the Gomel Philharmonic. An oddball mixture of Russian cultural elements, cabaret and brassy prog on the debut LP. That seems to be as interesting as they ever got, as later live videos found on YouTube are just Eurovision pop.

plus 6 more albums, singles, etc.

BOSNIA

Former Yugoslavian state during the Eastern bloc years. May also refer to Herzegovina.

BIJELO DUGME

Zeljko Bebec (lead vocals), Goran Bregovic (guitars, harmonica), Vlado Pravdic (organ, Moog, pianos), Zoran Redzic (bass), Ipe Ivandic (drums)

Apparently the most popular pop-rock band in former Yugoslavia, Bijelo Dugme (White Button) was formed in Sarajevo (Bosnia) in 1974. Initially they were a reasonably good progressive band with strong keyboards and folk influences, hints of Procol Harum and Kornelyans, with the debut about half excellent. They became tainted by new-wave on later albums.

plus many more albums, loads of singles, samplers, etc.

DIVLJE JAGODE

Anto Jankovic (vocals), Mustafa Ismailovski (organ, piano, Moog), Sead Lipovaca (guitars), Nihad Jusuf Hodzic (bass), Adonis Dokuzovic (drums)

Melodic heavy rock in Bijelo Dugme, Yu Gruppa vein.

plus loads more releases unknown to us!

LEPTIR

Delkic Sead (guitar), Mutic Dragan (vocals, bass), Gradincic Edin (keyboards), Vidovic Predrag (drums)

Varied melodic and hard-rock with folk and Mediterranean traditional influences and Omega like songs. A rock band from Sanski Most (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in former Yugoslavia.

TESKA INDUSTRIJA

Vedad Hadziabdic (guitars), Goran Kovacevic (vocals), Gabor Lendel (keyboards), Aleksandar Kostic (bass), Munib Zoranic (drums)

Obscure progressive/hard-rock band formed 1974 in Sarajevo by keyboard player Gabor Lendel.

plus loads more releases unknown to us!

VAJTA

Vocalist Seid Mamic Vajta and band. Progressive rock and pop.

plus loads more releases unknown to us!

VATRENI POLJUBAC

Milic Vukasinovic (guitar, vocals), Sanin Karic (bass), Perica Stojanovic (drums), Laza Ristovski (keyboards) #

Hard-rock band, formed 1977 in Sarajevo by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Milic Vukasinovic. They made 9 albums, some of which featured Laza Ristovski (ex-Smak). We've only had this one...

ZMAJEVI BOSNE

Only one festival track known by these, with a Golden Earring "Radar Love" like feel.

> BOOM '77

BULGARIA

Bulgaria is a country steeped in culture, yet (unless it is very obscure) it seems to have had very little in the way of a progressive rock scene. The state there was very strict, with all albums (during the 1970s and 80s) being released on the state-owned Balkanton label. Excepting what was been revealed via the Erdenklang label, little was known about the current musical scene there.

Elka ATANASOVA

Female violinist, with a very varied album bridging folk, progressive rock, and new-age musics most uniquely.

Lyubomir DENEV JAZZ TRIO

Lyubomir Denev (pianos, clavinet, Mellotron, Moog, percussion), Boris Dinev (drums, percussion), Danail Draganov (bass) #

Jazz fusion. With flute/sax player Petko Tomanov as special guest.

DIANA EXPRESS

Pop-rock (sometimes prog) group, formed in 1974 by Mitko Shterev.

Sergey DJOKANOV

Multi-instrumentalist and synthesist.

> LOOKING EAST - BULGARIA

FOCUS JAZZ QUARTET

Simeon Shterev (flutes, piccolo), Antoni Donchev (piano, synthesizer), Theodossi Stoikov (bass), Hristo Yotsov (drums, percussion)

Spacey flute lead fusion, hints of Herbie Mann, Jazz Q and Return To Forever.

FSB

Roumen Boyadzhiev (synthesizers, sequencer, acoustic guitar, Mellotron, lead vocals, percussion), Konstantin Tsekov (pianos, organ, Mellotron, clavinet, harpsichord, lead vocals, percussion), Alexander Baharov (basses, bass pedals, vocals, percussion)

Bulgaria's most popular band, who attempted to model themselves on the early-70s British progressives. Initially fronted by two keyboardists, they had a symphonic Omega-like sound. Later albums are just mainstream rock.

plus loads more releases unknown to us!

GENERAL VIOLET

New-wave and experimental band who come across as a weird industrial twist on Cluster on their debut cassette.

Simo LAZAROV

Unusual synthesist.

> LOOKING EAST - BULGARIA

Les MYSTÈRE DES VOIX BULGARES

Name used for various Bulgarian singing groups and choirs, who have toured and had surprising success in the West.

plus loads more releases unknown to us!

Vesselin NIKOLOV

Vesselin Nikolov (saxes, marimba) + Vesselin Koichev (guitars), Radoul Nachkov (drums, percussion), Docho Panov (bass), Roumen Boyadjiev (synthesizer), Konstantin Tsekov (synthesizer), Suzanne Erova (vocals), Theodossi Spassov (kaval) #

Jazz saxophonist. His JAZZ & SOMETHING MORE... is a little-known gem of atmospheric jazz and cultural/ethnic blends, sounding a little like Nucleus or early Arsenal with added classical and ethnic influences. I've seen Vesselin acclaimed as the Bulgarian Miles Davis for his innovation as band leader.

OM

Nikolai Ivanov (guitar, folk instruments), Zoltan Lantos (violin, etc.)

Multi-instrumental duo who describe themselves as "new age jazz minimal art folk", though their hybrid is far more wide ranging, compared to Boris Kovac in the Audion review of LETTERS, or on the more electronic spiced RITUAL PLACES IN BULGARIA the feel is like a hybrid beyond Oregon, Rain Garden or Argile, partly due to Ramesh Shotam guesting on percussion. They have at least 3 more releases under the name OM Art Formation.

PLOVDIV

Odd jazz fusion with soloists and a brass section. Self described as "Folk Jazz Band" and all the more unusual due to the crazy accordion playing! This has Dimitar Trifonov as leader with is band Plovdiv, supplemented by the band White, Green And Red and two winds soloists.

ROUSSE SEPTET

Peter Petrov & Boris Roussev (alto/tenor saxes), Ilko Petrov (drums), Ivan Kourtev (pianos, synthesizers), Plamen Harizanov (bass), Staiko Staikov (synthesizers, percussion), Plamen Nicolov (guitar)

Jazz fusion featuring winds and synths.

SHTOURTSITE

Peter Ghyouzelev (guitars, vocals), Kiril Marichkov (bass, keyboards, vocals), Vladimir Totev (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Georgi Totev (drums) #

[In English: THE CRICKETS] Originally Bulgaria's answer to The Beatles! Latterly however, Shtourtsite changed to heavy prog-rock with an unusual style.

and many more

START

Razvigor Popov (keyboards), Eugene Kushinchanov (guitar, vocals), Boyan Balev (bass guitar, vocals), Panaiot Amelev (drums, vocals)

Modern styled hard-rock progressive, hints of Omega, etc. For all their other releases they were the backing band of singer Mimi Ivanova.

Emil VELEV

Dark electronics on the border of industrial music.

VOX

Project of classically trained ethnomusicologist Vladimir Ivanoff, who went to Germany to record for Erdenklang. The debut is a mixture of ancient gothic songs and ethnic music in a contemporary blend of synths and female vocals. Further releases blended other styles and featured guest performances from former Embryo members.

WHITE, GREEN AND RED

Peter Jourkov (keyboards), Vesselin Koitchev (guitar), Vladimir Hadjiivanov (sax), Pasho Konov (bass), Ivan Enev (drums)

Jazz group also known for their collaborations with Vesselin Nikolov and Plovdiv.

Various Artists

Synthesizer introduction, with lots of obscure unknowns: Lubomir Denew (jazz pianist and film music composer), Dilema (high-tech synth), Vladimir Djambasov (experimentalist), Sergej Djokanov (see above), Danail Draganov (Ex-Kukery), Anguel Kotev, Simo Lazarov (see above), Krasimir Timov.

CROATIA

Former Yugoslavian state during the Eastern bloc years, also known as Republika Hrvatska.

ACEZANTEZ ENSEMBLE

Giovanni Cavallin (recorders, clarinets, sax), Dubravko Detoni (piano, harpsichord, celesta), Fred Dosek (organ, celesta, glockenspiel), Veronika Kokacic (voice), Daniel Thune (viola, bass, tuba)

Avant-Garde improvising ensemble, using instruments, electronics and tape collage, making an atmospheric music in a similar vein to Musica Elettronica Viva's LEAVE THE CITY bridging many genres.

Audion review extract: So, what is the fascination with Acezantez? Well, one could say they were the most seriously "classical" avant-garde ensembles to exist in that world of early Nurse With Wound, seamlessly bridging Dadaism, electronics, improvisational elements and electroacoustic reconstruction. And, that they came from Yugoslavia made it all the more fascinating, with a bizarre mixture of cultural elements. Musica Elettronica Viva and Nuova Consonanza are other good reference points to the bizarre sonic/cosmic creations of Acezantez, which utilised all manner of percussives, keyboards, voices and occasional solo instruments like trumpet, tuba and violin. The underlying humour in it adds that Dada edge, which is mostly in the vocal elements, though some cliched folk and popular styles are hinted as if they wash in from occasionally opening windows. The whole of the original album has this otherworldly magic that cannot be simply described in such a review, it's altogether too unique.

AERODROM

Jurica Padjen (guitar, vocals), Zlatan Zivkovic (guitar, piano), Mladen Krajnok (keyboards, vocals), Remo Cartagine (bass), Paolo Sfeci (drums)

Heavy symphonic from Zagreb, similar to Parni Valjak, at the start. They moved to standard pop rock later.

and many more

Tihomir Pop ASANOVlC

Much travelled keyboard player. He started in 1968 with the beat band The Generals, featured on Time's first LP, played on and off with Yu Grupa and Smak, establishing his own jazz fusion project in 1974 before joining September. His debut album certainly has its moments, especially if you like that funky jazz fusion with synths typical of the mid 70s, whereas LOLA is more for the chintzy soundtrack lovers sounding somewhat Piero Umiliani like.

ATOMSKO SKLONISTE

Sergio Blazic (lead vocals), Dragan Guzvan (guitar, vocals), Paul Bilandzic (organ, vocals), Druno Langer (bass), Sasa Dadic (drums)

[aka ATOMIC SHELTER] Heavy rockers from Pula (former Yugoslavia) formed in 1977.

and many more

DEMONI

Miljenko Balic, Emil Vugrinec, Jura Havidic, Zeljko Tes, Zoran Grujic

Hard-rock from ex-Fire members.

plus 5 singles & a compilation

Dubravko DETONI

Contemporary avant-garde, electronic and ensemble music. A leading innovator, and also member of Acezantez. His early albums are essential for adventurous listeners, whereas DETONI PLAYS DETONI was very classical chaotic Xenakis ensemble realms. We don't know his later ones.

and many more

DRUGI NACIN

Halil Mekic (guitars, vocals), Zeljko Mikulcic (bass, vocals), Branko Pozgajec (vocals, keyboards, flute), Ismet Kurtovic (flute, guitars, vocals), Boris Turina (drums)

Rock band from Zagreb formed in 1974. On their debut LP they played a heavy rock with some prog complexities and quite a lot of Deep Purple and Uriah Heep influences. During a hiatus when Branko Pozgajec was doing military service, two members formed the short-lived Nepocin who folded when Drugi Nacin became active again. A huge disappointment, considering how good Nepocin were, the second LP was a rather mediocre collection of short rock songs.

FIRE

Jura Havidic (guitar, vocals), Miljenko Balic (bass), Emil Vugrenic (drums, vocals)

Heavy power progressive band from Cakovec, who went to Holland to record their LP.

GRUPA 220

Husein Hasanefendic (guitars, vocals), Jurica Paden (guitars, vocals), Nenad Zubak (bass, vocals), Ivan Stancic (drums)

Pop group formed in 1966, in Zagreb. They turned to melodic heavy rock on SLIKE. Pre - Parni Valjak.

and many singles

GRUPA 777

These apparently started as a jazz-rock group, formed 1970 in Rijeka and later turned into a pop band. Their "Exodus" on the BOOM '72 set would seem to be during a time of transition being psychy blues-rock with a Vanilla Fudge feel, out of character with any of their later discography of 4 albums and 20 pop singles.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

> BOOM - FESTIVAL 1973

GRUPA M. SKRGATICA

Aka: Grupa Marina Skrgatica. Blues-rock band founded in Zagreb (Croatia), in 1973. They released three singles and then split up. Their BOOM recording documents a heavy band with lots of riffing guitars, and a lively Krautrock-like style.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

HAD

Davor Brkic (bass), Veseljko Orsolic (guitar) and Rajko Svilar (drums)

Band from Osijek, Croatia formed in 1971. On the BOOM 1972 album they come across as blues-rock with a Mediterranean touch, sounding like a mixture of Banco and Budka Suflera. Five years later on BOOM '77 they were playing a much straight American styled heavy rock (despite the native language vocals).

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

> BOOM '77

INDEXI

Davorin Popovic (vocals), Slobodan A. Kovacevic (guitars), Fadil Redzic (bass), Nenad Jurin (keyboards), Djordje-Djoko Kisic (drums) #

Heavy beat/psych-fusion in the early Modry Efekt vein. A patchy band with some good tracks, but mostly pop singles.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

and many more

Martin Davorin JAGODIC

Although born in Zagreb, and raised there in Croatia, Martin has been largely based in France since going there to study electroacoustic composition for his one and only known album commission, TEMPO FURIOSO an LP produced by Walter Marchetti for Cramps Records in Milan (Italy), a landmark work of sonic art and electronics bridging INA-GRM styles and Stockhausen-like elements.

Audion extract: An album long work, with lots of diverse elements involving electronics, sound manipulation, collage, etc., like an advanced hybrid of Luc Ferrari and Stockhausen's HYMNEN, it is sometimes almost silent, but gets to dizzy heights, almost overflowing to chaos. It's one of those fascinating journeys that's like an audio movie (involving obscure texts about a court case and a scandal of some sort, which I've never quite worked out), full amazing studio trickery, electronics and tons of special effects! A classic, right down to the surprise guest appearance of British girl pop band Fanny!

Erno KIRALY

Inventive ethno-avant-garde musician, involved in the notoriously eclectic ensemble Acezantez (who also feature on his recordings).

and others

NEPOCIN

Ismet Kurtovic (guitar, flute, vocals), Halil Mekic (guitar, vocals), Damir Sebetic (keyboards), Bozo Ilic (bass), Branko Knezevic (drums)

A little-known progressive rock band from Zagreb formed by two Drugi Nacin members. Their sole album is a heavy and complex one with Italian influences often similar to Kornelyans.

NIRVANA

Kresimir Sostar (guitar), Tomas Krkac (bass) and Zdravko Stimac (drums)

Powerful blues-rock in Thrice Mice/Blodwyn Pig vein.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

PARNI VALJAK

Jurica Padjen (guitars, vocals), Husein Hasanependic (guitars, vocals), Zlatko Miksic (bass), Srecko Antonioli (drums)

[aka STEAM ROLLER] Hard-rock and prog, with some Omega and Pink Floyd influences. Later LP's are straight hard-rock.

plus 20 more albums and loads of singles!

Ivica PERCL

Aka: I. Percl. Acclaimed as the first protest singer-songwriter in ex-Yugoslavia. He was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1945 and died in 2007. He started as a guitarist of Zagreb rock group Roboti and then went solo releasing an album and 4 singles.

> BOOM - FESTIVAL 1974

Bosko PETROVIC

Leading Croatian jazz vibraphone player. Composer, arranger and band leader: B. P. Convention, active on the local and international scene. These are some of his more obviously interesting fusion ones...

and loads of other projects/collaborations

SEPTEMBER

Janez Boncina (lead vocals), Tihomir Asanovic (pianos, organs, synthesizer), Marjan Malikovic (guitars, vocals), Jadran Ogrin (bass, vocals), Braco Doblekar (Latin percussion, soprano sax, vocals), Nelfi Depanger (drums, percussion, vocals) #

Rock and jazz-fusion band, towards Chicago or Blood Sweat & Tears. They grew out of the super-group project Jugoslavenska Pop Selekcija in September 1975, hence the name, with international cast of musicians from Time, Mladi Levi, Srce, etc.

> RANDEVU S MUZIKOM

SPEKTAR

Enco Lesic (vocals, keyboards), Davor Rocco (bass, acoustic guitar), Dragan Brcic (drums, percussion)

Organ driven melodic rock from Zagreb, led by keyboardist and composer Enco Lesic from Indexi.

STAKLENO ZVONO

Santro Domino (vocals), Veno Tarbuk (guitar, vocals), Zoran Kras (keyboards, vocals), Hrvoje Galekovic (drums), Vladimir Georgev (bass, vocals) #

Pop rock band from the second half of the 70s. They were from Zagreb and their name translates as "The Bell Jar". Good heavy rock based on their BOOM '77 track. Their singles all seem to be rather mediocre however.

> BOOM '77

plus loads of singles!

STIJENE

Zorica Kondza (vocals), Goran Taras (bass), Damir Malovan (guitars, backing vocals), Vojo Stojanovic (drums), Marin Miso Limic (Organ, Piano, strings, synthesizer, backing vocals) #

Heavy rock, ballads and a very odd female singer. They were formed in the 1970s by keyboard player and composer Marin Miso Limic in the town of Klis (near Split). All their other recordings (apart from the debut LP) are listed as pop.

plus 3 more albums and loads of singles!

TIME

Dado Topic (lead vocals, bass), Vedran P. Bozic (guitars, vocals), Tihomir Pop Asanovic (organ), Brane L. Zivkovic (keyboards, flute), Mario Mavrin (bass), Ratko Divjak (drums), Dabi Lukac (Moog, Mellotron)

Progressive rock band similar to early Smak and with Italian rock influences, moving to jazz-rock realms later.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

> RANDEVU S MUZIKOM

THE BEST OF TIME (CD: GR 91053) © 199? - 1st album plus bonus tracks.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Despite an almost Draconian control of the arts, from the late 1960s through to the 80s, the Czechoslovakian government encouraged the facade of a Western style record industry, with three major labels: Opus and Supraphon, who released everything from classical through to pop (and occasional progressive releases), and Panton (the most specialised label) which had a jazz and folk bias.

The quiet revolution and dissolution of the Communist state, has since opened the floodgates of the blossoming underground scene, with a proliferation of labels, offering a vast wealth of revolutionary music by bands who previously had to play it safe, or were classed as subversive and were banned. Czechoslovakia is now two separate states. So, see also: Slovakia. Hopefully everything is in the right place!.

ABRAXAS

Slavek Janda (guitar, vocals), Michal Ditrich (bass, vocals), Lubos Nohavica (keyboards, choir), Jaroslav Trachta (sax), Vladislav Sosna (drums) #

Rock band with a jazzy edge.

plus 6 more albums and loads of singles!

AGON

Inventive vaguely systemic/atonal avant-ensemble. They have numerous other releases 1994 to 2012.

AKU-AKU

Jaroslav Neuhoffer (vocals, violin), Vladimir Saska (drums, vocals), Ludek Zednik (bass), Jan Peclinovsky (guitar, vocals)

Curious blending of progressive and weird new-wave. A bit like MCH Band, but more aggressive and heavy going.

plus at least 4 more albums

Lubos ANDRST

Talented jazz guitarist, ex-Jazz Q and Energit.

> CZECH MASTERS OF ROCK GUITAR

plus many collaborations

Dagmar ANDRTOVA-VONKOVA

Female folk singer producing unusual folk-fusion. She has also worked with Radim Hladik.

BACILY

Vaclav Neckar (vocals), Milan Vitoch (drums), Ota Petrina (guitar), Jan Neckar (keyboards), Petr Formanek (piano), Jan Hauser (bass)

[Aka VACLAV NECKAR & BACILLI] Wide ranging rock and pop band who also tried prog and concept ideas.

plus many more, and loads of singles!

BARNODAJ

Zdenek Kluka (drums, Moog, guitars, harmonica, vocals), Pavel Vane (guitars, mandolin, vocals), Jan Sochor (piano, organ, Moog, string ensemble, cembalo, vocals), Pavel Pelc (bass, choir)

[In English: PROGRESS] Beat group who started life as the backing band Skupina Jana Sochora, but later reinvented themselves many times, turning progressive and eventually adopting the name Progres 2.

Iva BITTOVA

Experimental vocalist and violinist combining folk, ethnic and classical elements into unique fusion.

and many more!

Iva BITTOVA & Pavel FAJT

Iva Bittova (vocals, violin), Pavel Fajt (drums, metal) #

Strongly inspired by the RiO scene, blending folk melodies into a strange fusion.

Audion extract: Iva Bittova & Pavel Fajt - SVATBA - I became aware of the revolutionary duo Bittova & Fajt by the most peculiar track on RE RECORDS QUARTERLY Vol.2 No.1, and though I'm told the first album by these Czech. musical adventurers is better than this, I'm nonetheless impressed. Well, what can a female vocalist/violinist and a drummer do? Quite a lot actually. Though the musical fabric is loose, this is exceptionally inventive engaging and expressive music: quirky, fragmented and powerful, brilliant gibberish and sung vocals from Iva, spectacular rhythmic and solo violin, plus amply dynamic and wide ranging percussives from Pavel. The music is a kind of strange contortion of rock, jazz and Slovenian (possibly) folk music, pepped up with lots of energy and creative abandon. Anyone with a love for female vocal experimentation and inventive musical fusion should definitely check this out.

BLUE EFFECT > MODRY EFEKT

BLUES BAND

Peter Lipa (vocals), Lubos Andrst (guitar), Ondrej Konrad (harmonica), Vladimir Kuhlanek (bass), Jaromir Helesic (drums)

Bohemian blues band.

BOHEMIA

Lesek Semelka (electric piano, lead vocals), Jan Kubik (tenor sax, clarinet, flute, vocals), Michal Pavlicek (guitars), Vladimir Kulhanek (bass), Jan Hala (synthesizer), Pavel Trnavsky (drums) #

A kind of super-group featuring ex-Flamengo and Modry Efekt members, playing a complex mix of prog and slightly bluesy jazz-rock.

Audion extract: Two ex-Flamengo members went on to form Bohemia, along with ex-M.Efekt Lesek Semelka. Putting Semelka's song style into a jazzier music on ZRNKO PISKU yielded interesting results, a music that M.Efekt hinted at with the NOVA SYNTEZA albums, but with four keyboard players (one of them just on ARP synth) the Bohemia sound was very techno and complex. Since this Semelka went on to form his own pop-prog band SLS, session musician Michael Kocab became known for creating a new-wave fusion with his band Vyber.

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 77

Jan BRABEC

Underground rock and folk. Drummer with The Plastic People Of The Universe and Domaci Kapela, joined by Ladislav Lestina, Vit Brukner and Andrea Landovska.

BRABENEK-KOMAREK-TOPOL-OPLISTILOVA-KARAFIAT-BRABEC

Vratislav Brabenek (saxes, clarinet, vocals), Jan Komarek (guitar, bass, woods, cithern, vocals), Josef Karafiat (guitars, bass, guitar synthesizer, vocals), Jan Brabec (drums, clappers, synthesizer, vocals), Petra Oplistilova (cello, vocals), Filip Topol (synthesizer, vocals)

Vratislav Brabenek (ex-Plastic People) & co. playing a radical and creative blend of Czech underground, jazz, folk and archetypal multi-cultural RIO styles.

Audion extract: Obviously, now these musicians can openly and publicly promote themselves, they're proud to do so! It's a pity they couldn't think of a group name, though. So, the legacy of the Plastic People Of The Universe lives on, here with a really strange collection of folk, jazz and mangled rock mutations, typical of the radical Czech sound, and a hell of a lot more creative than anything since the very early Plastic People recordings. This is dark, unconventional rock, with liberal doses of Central European culture. There are strange bits of poetry juxtaposed against radical music, along with freaky jazz edges, Gothic and dark symphonics, and the most peculiar of songs. It's fascinating, if not immediate, stuff that's totally uncommercial whilst totally musical. In all - intriguing!

BRONZ

Pavel Vane (vocals, guitars), Daniel Forro (keyboards), Richard Lasek (drums)

Parallel band to Progres 2.

C & K VOCAL & LABYRINT

Zdena Adamova (vocals), Helena Arnetova (vocals), Milena Cervena (vocals), Ladislav Kantor (vocals), Lubos Pospisil (vocals), Jiri Cerha (vocals), Pavel Fort (guitar), Otakar Petrina (guitars), Vladimir Kuhlanek (bass), Pavel Vetrovec (pianos, organ, percussion), Jan Kubik (tenor sax, flute, percussion), Anatoli Kohout (drums)

Vocal ensemble working with prog-rock band.

CAPELLA ANTIQUA E MODERNA

Vojtech Havel (viola da gamba, piano), Irena Havlova (viola da gamba, vocals), plus guests

Spooky medeival music.

Mikolas CHADIMA

Leader of MCH Band.

CHADIMA-BINDER-CHARVAT

Odd rock from ex-MCH Band members Miklos Chadima, Peter Binder and Ales Charvat.

CHADIMA & FAJT

Miklos Chadima (MCH Band) and Pavel Fajt (Dunaj). A more upbeat/accessible twist on the Czech underground sound, very MCH Band, but also with a nod to The Residents.

CH.A.S.A.

Ivo Albrecht (bass), Jiri Adam (guitar), Pavel Chmelar (flute, soprano/baritone saxes), Antonin Striz (drums), Ivan Havlicek (percussion), Mirka Krivankova (vocals)

Jazz-fusion band who existed 1973 to 1980+ but only ever documented by one track..

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA

COMBO FH

Daniel Fikejz (pianos, accordion, clavinet, harpsichord, organ, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, marimba, percussion, vocals), Borivoj Suchy (soprano/tenor saxes, cello, piano, percussion), Milan Sladek (bassoon, piano, percussion), Richard Mader (guitars, piano, percussion), Vaclav Patek (bass), Tomas Suchomel (drums, piano, percussion, vocals) #

[Aka Combo Franty Hromady] They started as off-beat fusion with a good dose of Henry Cow (and hints of instrumental Zapper too), blended with Satie and Czech folk stylings, especially good on the debut EP, and on the album VECI / THINGS. They moved to a kind of pop/jazz satire after that didn't export well to non-Czech ears.

Audion extract: Combo FH were no doubt introduced to most people the Mini Jazz Klub 11 7" EP distributed by Reconvened. Not an ordinary jazz group by any means, with influences as wide ranging as Czech folk, Zappa, Soft Machine, Henry Cow and a great deal of progressive rock and classical stylings. By the time of their debut LP VECI / THINGS they had developed a very personal eclectic, inventive, new music - for want of a better description - sounding like a cross between Gryphon, Henry Cow and Jazz Q, but in essence too eclectic to categorize at all!

> JAZZ A LA CARTE

Rudolf DASEK

Fusion guitarist.

and lots more

Rudolf DASEK & Toto BLANKE

Czech & German guitarists in collaboration, generally in the light jazz mode.

DG 307

Pavel Zajicek (vocals), Jiri Kabes (violin), Milan Hlavsa (bass), Ivan Pospisil (drums),Vratislav Brabenec (winds) #

One of the 70s underground bands that were banned by the Czech government. Their style was raw and aggressive, like a cross between The Velvet Underground and The Plastic People.

and many more

DOMACI KAPELA

Jan Brabec (drums, vocals, piano, percussion), Vit Brukner (bass pedals, clavinet), Zuzana Bruknerova (vocals, synthesizer), Martin Dvorak (cello), Josef Karafiat (guitars), Jiri Zavadil (violin)

Experimental rock from Jan Brabec (ex-Plastic People) & co.

DUNAJ

Vladimir Vaclavek (bass, vocals, guitar), Jiri Kolsovsky (vocals, guitar, flute), Josef Ostransky (guitar, vocals), Zdenek Plachy (keyboards), Pavel Fajt (drums, percussion, vocals) #

Quirky new-wave and progressive.

E

Vladimir Kokolia (vocals), Josef Ostransky (guitar, hi-hat), Vladimir Vaclavek (bass, acoustic guitar, drums)

Ex-Extempore band. Crazed experimental rock typical of the 90s Czech wave.

E UCHO DEBIL ACCORD BAND

Jiri Zelenka (vocals, guitar), Pavel Skaryd (bass), Vaclav Sefrna (drums), Jan Vladar (guitar)

Underground rock band from Zatec, existing 1980-86, with members going on to Orchestr Bissext.

ENERGIT

Lubos Andrst (guitar), Emil Viklicky (pianos, synthesizer), Rudolf Tichacek (soprano sax), Jan Vytrhlik (bass), Jiri Tomek (congas), Karel Jencik (drums), Anatoli Kohout (drums), Josef Vejvoda (drums) #

Vehicle of ex-Jazz Q guitarist Lubos Andrst, and most notable for their furiously powerful debut LP, which fused the early Jazz Q sound with the instrumental fusion of The Mothers or Miles Davis. The second album PIKNIK had a very different funky and brassy feel.

Audion extract: Probably feeling cornered by Kratochvil's music, ex-Jazz Q guitarist Lubos Andrst formed Energit together with keyboardist Emil Viklicky. Their debut was even better than anything Jazz Q produced. Still with that spacey edge, but with lots or energy too - Energit lived up to their name! With a great rhythmic base, ever changing but riffing structure, the 17 minute "Rano" recalls both classic Miles Davis and Terje Rypdal, but with electric sax as winds soloist. Their second PIKNIK was a very different affair, this featured lots of winds, shorter composed pieces as opposed to the free-riffing of the first, often more what one would expect from George Gruntz or Manfred Schoof. Latterly, Andrst pursued a solo career, Viklicky worked with the piano trio Klavesova Konclava and later in Okno with Bill Frisell.

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA 2

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 77

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 78

ETC...

Vladimir Misik (vocals, guitars, kazoo), Pavel Fort (guitars), Petr Pokorny (guitar), Jan Hruby (violins, tambourine), Anatloi Kohout (drums, percussion)

Vladimir Misik, formerly with the pop / beat band George & Beatovens in 1968 and then Flamengo, formed Etc... as his all-purpose rock and fusion band with a constantly changing cast of musicians and collaborators.

> BAZAREM PROMEN

THE EXTEMPORE BAND

Mikolas Chadima (saxes, vocals, guitar, trumpet), Slavek Simon (bass, vocals), Martha Gotthard (percussion, voice), Mirko "Ali" Horacek (drums, choir, trumpet), Vlad'a Brom (guitar), Jiri "Nory" Radechovsky (guitar), Pavel Turnovsky (synthesizer) #

Aka The Naive Extempore Band or Rock & Jokes Extempore Band. Radical and inventive 70s group banned by the Czech government, fronted by Miklos Chadima (later of MCH Band) and like a more musically involved Plastic People.

> CZECH! TILL NOW

Pavel FAJT & PLUTO

Vaclav Bartos (vocals), Petr Zavadil (guitar), Tomas Frohlich (bass), Pavel Fajt (drums, percussion, sound wheel)

Wide-ranging left-field avant-rock project with funky, jazzy and new wave elements.

Daniel FIKEJZ

Combo FH leader.

FLAMENGO

Jan Kubik (saxes, flute, clarinet, vocals), Pavel Fort (guitars, vocals), Ivan Khunt (keyboards, vocals), Vladimir Guma Kulhanek (bass, vocals), Jaroslav Erno Sedivy (drums, percussion), Vladimir Misik (vocals, congas, acoustic guitar) #

A seminal band, although their sole album was banned upon release! They started as a pop band, and developed from beat and jazz roots in the 1960s, onto a lively complex progressive fusion akin to early Colosseum, but with a fiery M. Efekt like energy and a uniquely Czech sound.

Audion extract: Vladimir Misik has been known for his work with numerous Czech bands, but mostly for his own band: Vladimir Misik Etc. Most of what I've heard by his band however has been less than impressive, a mixing of jazz-rock and blues with little merit or distinction. Far better were an earlier band he was involved with, namely Flamengo. Their 1972 album KURE V HODINKACH has just been reissued. A kind of jazzy parallel to M.Efekt I suppose. or even bands like Colosseum or Tasavallan Presidentti, Flamengo's style was an intricate and finely crafted progressive- fusion featuring lengthy instrumental breaks and solos from numerous instruments.

> NIGHT CLUB '68

> 2. CS. BEAT-FESTIVAL 68

KURE V HODINKACH (LP: Supraphon 113 1287) 6/71-3/1972 © 1972 # (LP/CD: Supraphon 10 1287-1311/2311) © 1990, (CD: Bonton BON 491053-2) © 1998 - plus Kazdou Chvili / Tyden V Elektrickem Meste single

> BAZAREM PROMEN

FRAMUS FIVE

Michal Prokop (vocals), Lubos Andrst (guitar), Ladislav Elias (bass), Ivan Trnka (keyboards), Kasa Jahn (drums) #

Brassy rock band.

> NIGHT CLUB '68

> 2. CS. BEAT-FESTIVAL 68

plus numerous singles!

FRONTALNI PORUCHA

David Vanecek (keyboards), Lexa Snopek (keyboards), Karel Herman (vocals), Petr Alexander (drums)

Doomy gothic keyboard-fronted music that defies any easy description, they could be called an atmospheric gloomy Dead Can Dance, but with Czech folk roots.

GARAZ

Tony Duchacek (vocals), Milan Hlavsa (bass, guitar), Ivo Pospisil (bass), Tonda Penicka (drums), Honza Machacek (guitar), Jiri Jelinek (trombone), Tadeas Vercak (guitar), Tomas Svoboda (trumpet), Tomas Belko (tenor sax), Jindrich Biskup (sax), Tomas Kurfurst (trumpet), Ivan Pavlu (percussion)

Interconnected with The Plastic People, etc.

GERA BAND

Michal Gera (trumpet, flugelhorn), Vaclav Bratrych (tenor sax), Vít Svec (bass), Jaromir Helesic (drums)

Lively fusion from Michal Gera (ex-Impuls) & co.

Jan HAMMER

Born 1948 in Prague, former Czechoslovakia. Originally in a trio with Alan and Miroslav Vitous in the 1960s. All his known recorded output is from since he moved to the USA, and mostly as a keyboardist, including many LP's with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Nowadays he's best known for his synthesizer based film and TV soundtracks.

and numerous others!

Irena HAVLOVA & Vojtech HAVEL

Multi-instrumental husband and wife duo who graduated from folk to experimental music. Their releases comprise eerie, gothic and fascinating music performed on medieval instruments, church organs, all sorts of ethnic instruments, percussions, etc. sometimes like a subdued songless Nico.

and many more

HENRICH

Multi-instrumentalist Henrich Lesko aka Lesko H. Experimental theatre and gothic-folk-cosmic music.

Radim HLADIK

Modry Efekt leader.

> CZECH MASTERS OF ROCK GUITAR

IMPULS

Jaromir Helesic (drums), Michal Gera (trumpet), Zdenek Fiser (guitar), Pavel Kostiuk (keyboards) #

Jazz-rock with Chick Corea/Weather Report influences.

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA 2

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 77

JABLKON

Michael Nemec (vocals, percussion, guitar), Ingo Bellman (guitar, vocals), Ivan Podobsky (drums, vocals, percussion) #

A unique and strange blend of Czech folk and unclassifiable musics. Mostly acoustic, yet quite surreal.

> CZECH! TILL NOW

Oldrich JANOTA

Unusual folk and ethnic musics, Oldrich Janota is often aided by Vojtech Havel and Irena Havlova.

and many more collaborations, plus earlier folk some cassettes

JAZZ CELULA

Laco Deczi (trumpet), Petr Korinek (bass), Svatopluk Kosvanec (trombone), Zdenek Dvorak (guitar), Josef Vejvoda (drums), Petr Kral (tenor saxophone), Karel Ruzicka (piano) #

Mellow jazz fusion. Often credited as Laco Deczi &...

JAZZ FRAGMENT PRAGUE

Ales Faix (piano, synthesizers), Milan Pekny (violin), Martin Brunner (flute), Petr Dvorak (bass), Petr Reiterman (drums, percussion)

Slick jazz-fusion.

JAZZ Q (PRAHA)

Martin Kratochvil (electric piano), Lubos Andrst (guitar), Vladimir Padrunek (bass), Michal Vrbovec (drums) #

Formed in 1965 as the free-jazz group: Jazz Q Praha (Jazz Quartet/Quintet Prague), featuring Jiri Stivin and singer Helena Vondrackova (in the early-70s with Irish singer Joan Duggan). They eventually become the vehicle of Chic Corea inspired keyboardist Martin Kratochvil, making a synth fronted fusion in the ECM type style. Jazz Q were a revolutionary fusion band, pioneering the Czech jazz-rock sound.

Audion extract: Jazz Q (aka Jazz Q Praha) were one of the foremost and innovative of Czech jazz-rock groups. Arguably in similar realms to Nucleus at the start, they developed a sophisticated fusion with. a very spacey sound, especially on THE WATCHTOWER which had just five tracks of rather understated atmospheric jazz. Vocalist Joan Duggan, who was a guest here, had a greater role in the album SYMBIOSIS which moved dangerously close to soul at times. In time, keyboard player and leader Martin Kratochvil took over the band completely, putting his keyboards at the front of the sound and moving the Jazz Q style closer to the likes of Return To Forever with albums like ELEGY and TIDINGS. If these had been released on ECM, Jazz Q would have become a household name.

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA 2

> JAZZ A LA CARTE

> BAZAREM PROMEN

JAZZROCKOVA DILNA

Joan Duggan (vocals), Lubos Andrst (guitar), Martin Kratochvil (electric piano, Moog), Jan Martinec (soprano sax, violin), Petr Kolinek (bass), Josef Vejvoda (drums), Jiri Tomek (percussion)

Impromptu session band featuring Jazz Q members.

> JAZZROCKOVA DILNA

JESTE JSME SE NEDOHODLI

Petr Lisku (vocals), Stanislav Filip (guitars, synthesizer), Karel David (bass, vocals), Ivo Horak (guitar), Petr Hromadka (drums, synthesizer) #

Off-beat and highly inventive rock fusion, comparable to RIO bands like Debile Menthol, Etron Fou, etc.

> CZECH! TILL NOW

Robert JISA

Unique ambient, minimalist and new-age musics.

and at least 6 more!

Gabriel JONAS

Member of Klavesova Konklava.

KLAVESOVA KONKLAVA

Gabriel Jonas (piano), Karel Ruzicka (electric piano), Emil Viklicky (electric piano), Petr Korinek (bass), Josef Vejvoda (drums), Jiri Tomek (congas)

Piano fronted jazz-rock project commissioned by the Prague Arts Council.

Michal KOCAB

Keyboardist/vocalist, ex-Flamengo.

Michal KOCAB & Michael PAVLICEK

Guitar and synth duo who have recorded numerous film soundtracks of unusual synth based music (notably the soundtrack to "The Pied Piper" together with Jiri Stivin) that is vivid and dramatic. Check out connected projects: Prazsky Vyber, Stromboli, and Pavlicek's solo's.

Pavel KOPECKY

Contemporary, electroacoutic composer and synthesist.

> LOOKING EAST - CSFR

Martin KRATOCHVIL & Tony ACKERMANN

Atmospheric fusion.

plus Vojtech HAVEL: MORAVSKE KONCERTY / MORAVIAN CONCERTS (CD: Bonton 71 0001 - 2531) © 199?

Jaroslav KRCEK

Avant-Garde classical and electronics composer.

and lots of classical releases not relevant here

Vaclav KUCERA

Avant-Garde composer sometimes creating weird and dissonant choral and percussion music, a bit like Stockhausen.

> FROM CZECH ELECTRONIC MUSIC STUDIOS

MAHAGON

Zdena Adamova (vocals), Jaroslav Solc (flute), Stepan Koutnik (bass clarinet), Jan Hruby (violin), Zdenek Sedivy (trumpet), Jindrich Parma (trumpet), Jiri Niederle (soprano sax), Bohuslav Volf (trombone), Jiri Jelinek (guitars), Michael Kocab (pianos, clavinet), Ladislav Malina (drums), Petr Klapka (bass) #

Lively jazz-rock by ex-Flamengo members, especially good on their debut LP.

MARSYAS

Zuzana Michnova (vocals), Oskar Petr (vocals, guitar, cabasa), Petr Kalandra (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Pavel Fort (guitars), Michal Kocab (pianos, organ, string ensemble), Ondrej Soukup (bass), Ladislav Malina (drums) #

Light and folky rock.

MATADORS

Victor Sodoma (vocals, harmonica), Radim Hladik (guitar), Jan Farmer Obermajer (keyboards), Otto Bezloja (bass), Tony Black (drums) #

Beat group from Prague. A proto super group with future members of Modry Efekt and the German band Emergency. Worth a mention here also for the excellent Pink Floyd inspired track "Extraction" on their LP.

and a few singles

MCH BAND

Mikolas Chadima (guitar, saxes, vocals, loops), Vladimir Helebrant (synthesizer, choir, drums), Slava Simon (bass, congas), Antonin Korb (drums, choir), Martin Schneider (bass), Hynek Schneider (drums) #

Miklos Chadima (formerly of Extempore Band) presents some of the most fascinating and radical rock, sometimes like a mixture of Plastic People and early Pink Floyd! All the early stuff is great, yet they failed to come up with a worthy successor to ES REUT MICH F...

> CZECH! TILL NOW

plus many reissue cassettes under different titles

MEZINARODNI SDRUZENI PRO NOVOU AKUSTICKOU HUDBU

Martin Kratochvil (piano), Tony Ackerman (guitar), Ivan Zenaty (violin), Vojtech Havel (vocals), Musa Zangi (congas)

[Aka INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR NEW ACOUSTIC MUSIC] Acoustic fusion.

Vladimir MISIK > ETC...

MODRY EFEKT

Radim Hladik (guitars), Fedor Freso (bass, mandolin, vocals, percussion), Oldrich Vesely (organ, pianos, synthesizers, vocals), Vladimir Cech (drums, percussion) #

[Aka M. EFEKT, aka BLUE EFFECT] Originating as a blues and beat group, and fronted by the uniquely styled guitarist Radim Hladik. After successful excursions into jazz fusion, later albums developed a dynamic progressive and space-rock style akin to Eloy or Progres 2 at their best. Modry Efekt are justly classed as one of the finest of Czech 70s progressives.

Audion extract: As far as I know, the earliest exponents of Czech rock were a band called Modry Efekt, or in English - The Blue Effect. An early white blues band, M.Efekt, led by talented guitarist Radim Hladik, had a penchant for invention. Although this wasn't realised at first, co-operation with the Prague jazz-rock group Jazz a changed the bands direction entirely. CONIUCTIO crossed psychedelic rock and jazz most powerfully, long tracks with great energy and lots of Radim's superb guitar. Obviously invigorated by the new musical freedom open to him Radim's next project was a great big band jazz-rock spectacular: NOVA SYNTEZA, and its companion NOVA SYNTEZA 2 which followed 2 years later, combined the power of M.Efekt's music with a huge jazz orchestra. The effect was a powerful, superbly crafted and innovative music, a veritable playground for Radim's amazing guitar. As if to signify a new era, a move to progressive realms, the next album was simply entitled MODRY EFEKT & RADIM HLADIK (an export issue of this released with the title A BENEFIT OF RADIM HLADIK). Like the first NOVA SYNTEZA this was an instrumental album, predominantly featuring lengthy tracks full of invention, power and an abundance of solos. Subsequent albums, which featured Synkopy keyboard player and vocalist Oldrich Vesely, were firmly within the progressive/space-rock mould, none more powerful than the spectacular SVITANIE, and then onto the realm Eloy or East with SVET HLADACU and 33 - both of which contain heavily synthesized instrumentation, really great guitar and a unique song style

> HALLO, NR. 9

> HALLO, NR. 10

> STARE POVESTI CESKE

MODRY EFEKT & JAZZ Q

Radim Hladik (guitar, effects), Jiri Kozel (bass, guitar, bells), Vlado Cech (drums), Jiri Stivin (flutes, alto sax, piccolo, wood blocks, effects), Martin Kratochvil (piano, organ, trumpet), Jiri Pellant (bass), Milan Vitoch (drums, bells)

Fiery psychedelic-sounding jazz-rock. A groundbreaking session combining the talents of these two top bands, strongly featuring Stivin's sax and Hladik's guitar.

NAIMA

Zdenek Zdenek (piano, synthesizer), Frantisek Kop (soprano/tenor saxes), Jaromir Honzak (bass), Martin Sulc (drums) #

No doubt they took their name from the John Coltrane composition, although their music is more Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jazz Q inspired fusion, but with sax as lead instrument.

> JAZZ MAGMA

Vaclav NECKAR

Pop singer who went on to front Bacily.

Martin NEMEC & Bara BASIKOVA

Somewhere between gothic progressive, new-age and classical musics. A unique concoction!

Ladislav NOVAK

Author and poet, specialist in sound text and visual arts.

plus many more

Petr NOVAK

The original singer with Flamengo (in 1967) and front man of the beat band George & Beatovens.

OLYMPIC

Petr Janda (guitar, lead vocals), Miroslav Berka (keyboards), Petr Hejduk (drums, vocals), Milan Broum (bass) #

Originally a pop band (their first single was released in 1964), it took until the late-70s for them to do anything progressive. On the Sci-Fi trilogy, that started with PRAZDNINY NA ZEMI, they adopted a style with Omega and Hawkwind influences, with lots of synths and complex arrangements.

Audion extract: Olympic became synonymous as the Czech Omega, they similarly went through a progressive phase in the late Seventies. Their most successful album was part one of a sci-fi concept trilogy: PRAZDNINY NA ZEMI, also released as an export version with English lyrics: HOLIDAYS ON EARTH it featured lots of synth in a hard-edged rock, segued tracks filling each side as if one piece.

> STARE POVESTI CESKE

plus many more, numerous singles, EPs, samplers etc.

OSKLID

Petr Vasa (guitar, vocals), Vojtech Kupcik (violin), Pavel Zelma (bass, trumpet, vocals), Pavel Koudelka (drums, vocals), Michal Zavadil (vocals), Jana Klimesova (vocals), Ivana Lukasova (vocals), Tomas Frgala (vocals, percussion), Jiri Salajka (vocals, percussion)

Parallel band to Z Kopce.

PANTA RHEI

Jana Koubkova (vocals), Bohuslav Janda (guitar), Roman Holy (keyboards), Antonin Smrcka (bass), Musa Zangi (congas), Jaromir Helesic (percussion), Michael Hejna (drums)

Jazz-rock band, with guest appearance by Alan Vitous.

Michal PAVLICEK

Talented guitarist, with Expanze, Bohemia, Mahagon, Prazsky Vyber, leader of Stromboli and extensive in session work. He has also scored numerous films (some together with Michal Kocab and Jiri Stivin).

> CZECH MASTERS OF ROCK GUITAR

and lots more.

Ota PETRINA SUPER-ROBOT

Otakar Petrina (vocals, guitar, flute, harmonica), Anatoli Kohout (drums), Vladimir Padrunek (bass) #

Rock singer Ota Petrina was kind of the Czech equivalent of French singers like Manset or Booz, aided by prog musicians: the rhythm section Super Robot and guest keyboards. The single is pretty straight pop rock, so it's surprising that he/they went on to do two concept albums, of which better of the two is PECET' which has a lot of Pink Floyd influences, although both are a mite over-lyrical.

Petr PINOS

New-age and cosmic trips, hinting at Klaus Schulze, etc.

and numerous others

The PLASTIC PEOPLE (of the Universe)

Vratislav Brabanec (sax, clarinet), Milan Hlavsa (bass), Josef Janicek (lead guitar, electric piano, vibes), Jiri Kabes (viola, guitar, theremin), Jaroslav Vozniak (drums)

Most famous of the banned 70s activists, blending Czech folk with angry sounding rock and jazz, an odd twist on Beefheart and RIO. Existing since the late 1960s, and often very radical, the early recordings sound quite psychedelic and amateurish, yet have an angry and appealing charm. Nowadays they play a far more tame music.

Audion extract: Kissing Spell reissues - The most notorious of Czech underground bands, and thus the most publicised internationally, most of the PPU back-catalogue was previously issued on CD by the now defunct Globus International label. But it was still a surprise to see a few PPU reissues coming out on the generally British psych oriented Kissing Spell label. These three seem to be the start of a series, all with a complete make-over, new presentation, and historical booklets in English for the first time! MAN WITH NO EARS documents the early history of the band, often as a really crappy beat combo with the attitude of punk bands a decade later. A few Zappa numbers (and other familiar covers) translated into Czech also feature. The big chunks of talking are of course a waste of space to non-Czech ears. And those songs sung in English are turgidly torturous. Maybe they were sometimes deliberately bad, and it seems the audience agreed shouting abuse at them. Only the latest tracks on this disc appealed to me. But such was the underground political/musical climate of Czechoslovakia circa 1969-1972. The notorious international debut EGON BONDY'S HAPPY HEARTS CLUB BANNED recorded in 1976 still remains one of their finest moments, yet after a number of CD issues previously this seems to be the first to be sourced from the master tapes, yet still doesn't quite sound the same as the original LP to me. But, whatever, this was the definitive refined mixture of polit-rock, RIO fusion with a great deal of unique innovation. Kind of Zappa meets Henry cow with a good deal of Balkan style culture thrown in. It's totally eclectic and often tongue-in-cheek, and it all works even if you don't understand any of it. I'm not so sure if the bonus tracks were such a wise choice though. BEEFSLAUGHTER (previously issued as HOVEZI PORAZKA) turns out to be an album I'd previously overlooked, possibly due to it being an originally unreleased album dating from 1982-1984, in between the disappointing LEADING HORSES and MIDNIGHT MOUSE. Remarkably this is quintessential PPU firmly in the mould of the classics EGON BONDY'S... and PASSION PLAY, but on a more intricate and technical level. Uniquely PPU, true, but it also reminds me of many earlier French acts like Komintern's LE BAL DU RAT MORT or Maajun's VIVRE LA MORT DU VIEUX MONDE, and I guess the subject matter here is similarly wry and anarchistic.

EGON BONDY'S HAPPY HEARTS CLUB BANNED (LP, France: Invisible S.C.O.P.A. 10001) 1976 © 1978 # (CD, France: Buda 82478-2) © 198?, (LP/CD: Globus International 210128-1318/2318) © 1992 (CD, UK: Kissing Spell KSCD 803) © 2004 - different mix, plus 7 bonus tracks

and more since!

PRAZSKY VYBER

Michal Kocab (pianos, clavinet, synthesizer), Ondrej Soukub (bass), Vratislav Placheta (drums), Ladislav Malina (drums), Zdenek Fiser (guitar), Martin Koubek (guitar), Jiri Niederle (tenor/soprano saxes) #

Initially a jazz-rock band formed by Michal Kocab. In 1982 they became a satirist new-wave band and got banned by the authorities!

PROGRES > BARNODAJ > PROGRES 2

PROGRESS ORGANIZATION

Pavel Vane (guitars, piano, cembalo, organ, tambourine, vocals), Jan Sochor (organ, piano, vocals), Emanuel Sideridis (bass, vocals), Zdenek Kluka (drums, percussion) #

Confusingly pre-Barnodaj who then became Progres 2

PROGRES 2

Zdenek Kluka (drums, percussion), Pavel Vane (vocals, guitars), Pavel Pelc (vocals, bass, synthesizer), Milos Moravek (guitars, choir), Karel Horky (synthesizers, clavinet) #

Previously Barnodaj (Progress in Czech), Progres 2 were a surprise of the late 70s, when they came out with the grand opus DIALOG S VESMIREM, a Sci-Fi concept of great invention, with M. Efekt and Pink Floyd influences. The whole work was too long for an LP, and also stretched onto an EP and a single.

plus some other singles and collaborations and reformation recordings

Michal PROKOP > FRAMUS FIVE

PRO POCIT JISTOTY

Martin Dohnal (piano), Ivo Horak (guitar, vocals), Petr Keller (bass), Michal Odehnal (drums)

Wildly aggressive underground, with RIO and strange touches.

PRUDY > Pavol HAMMEL & PRUDY

PSI VOJACI

Filip Topol (vocals, piano), Jan Hazuka (bass, guitar), David Skala (drums), Zdenek Hmyzak Novak (trumpet), Petr Venkrbec (alto sax) #

[Aka PVO or Psi Vojaci Osobne] Curious energetic alternative rock group.

and loads more through to 2003

PULNOC

Milan Hlavsa (vocals, bass), Josef Janicek (keyboards, vocals), Jiri Kabes (guitar), Jiri Krivka (lead guitar), Petr Kumandzas (drums), Michaela Nemcova (vocals), Tomas Schilla (cello) #

Quirky but lightweight rock by ex-Plastic People members.

RELAXACE

Karel Babuljak (zithers, harmonium, percussion, vocals), Ales Brezina (violin, ektar, percussion, vocals), Vlastislav Matousek (tabla, gongs, metalophon, percussion, vocals), Jiri Mazanek (vocals, guitar, sitars, tanpura, harmonium, percussion) #

Innovative folk and ethnic fusion blending Indian and European musics, and full of surprises.

RICHTER BAND

Pavel Richter (guitars, bass, percussion, clarinets), Stepan Pecirka (fidlerphone, pots, bass), Tonda Hlavka (percussion, drums, guitars, radio, marimba)

Surreal echo guitars, cosmic and ethnic musics, the RICHTER BAND was like a blast from the past back to the early Kosmiche Krautrock and cross-culture music from Germany, but with a different central European feel. A more recently released album containing 1988-90 exists called SMETANA. Pavel Richter has also released a number of other collaborative projects working with the likes of: Mikolas Chadima and Oldrich Janota.

ROZMAZANE DETI

Milan Baca (vocals), Roman Hlavacek (guitar), Zdenek Klon (bass), Jaroslav Svoboda (keyboards), Milan Brezina (saxophone), Milan Hruska (drums)

Kinda crazed punky MCH Band vein.

Lesek SEMELKA & SLS

Lesek Semelka (vocals, synthesizers), Stanislav Kubes (guitars), Michal Pavlik (keyboards), Jan Kavale (bass), Vlado Cech (drums, percussion)

Lightweight progressive by former M. Efekt member and band.

plus numerous singles!

SER UN PEYJALERO

Jiri Pejchal (accordion, guitar, vocals), Mirka Hornova (bass, keyboards, vocals), Mario Valerian (clarinet, guitar, vocals), Bob Smejkal (bass, guitar), Petr Zikmund (drums)

Strange rock-fusion with notable RIO influence.

Jiri STIVIN

A much travelled and adventurous, jazz saxophonist and flautist, formerly of Jazz Q, he's recorded many inventive fusion albums covering a wide range of styles, from solo improvisation through to high-tech fusion.

Audion extract: Ex-Jazz Q flautist/saxophonist Jiri Stivin has become much travelled working with numerous international musicians like Pierre Favre and other associates of the ECM crowd, he also worked with Vladimir Misik's Etc before following a solo career and forming his own band: Jiri Stivin & Co Jazz System. STATUS QUO VADIS was more of a progressive album than his other releases, hinting at his involvement with M.Efekt in the early Seventies.

STROMBOLI

Michal Pavlicek (guitars, guitar synthesizer, bass, vocals), Vladimir Kulhanek (bass), Klaudius Kryspin (drums), Bara Basikova (vocals)

Bombastic progressive fronted by guitarist Michal Pavlicek, with a Kate Bush-like vocalist and Magma fusion elements.

SYNKOPY 61

Michal Polak (vocals, guitar), Petr Smeja (guitar, vocals), Pavel Pokorny (organ, guitar, violin), Jan Carvas (bass), Jiri Rybar (drums, percussion) #

A 1960s pop band who released numerous singles and a couple of 10" LP's, they were very Uriah Heep inspired rock on XANTIPA. They split in 1975 and later reformed as: Synkopy & Oldrich Vesely.

Robinson / Park (7": Panton 04 0447

SYNKOPY & Oldrich VESELY

Oldrich Vesely (synthesizers, clavinet, pianos, organ, vocals), Vratislav Lukas (guitar, synthesizer, clavinet, cello, vocals), Pavel Pokornýy (synthesizers, organ, electric piano, vocals), Emil Kopriva (guitar, vocals), Petr Smeja (guitar), Jiri Rybar (drums, percussion, synthesizer, vocals) #

Featuring Oldrich Vesely (also of Modry Efekt), and originally known as Synkopy 61. These pretty much sounded like a Genesis inspired twist on late-1970s M. Efekt, and (according to the cover notes of FLYING TIME) contain strong influence of Moravian folk melodies.

TANGO

Miroslav Imrich (vocals), Zdenek Juracka (guitars, vocals), Frantisek Kotva (guitars, vocals), Ota Balaz (keyboards, sax, vocals), Jiri Novotny (bass, vocals), Jaroslav Vondrak (drums, percussion)

Synthesizer based pop-rock with prog edges.

plus numerous singles.

TOYEN

Petr Chromovsky (vocals, guitars), Petr Vana (guitars, keyboards, tambourine, vocals), Petr Vaclavek (bass), Jiri Simecek (drums, percussion)

Modern progressive with heavy gothic style.

TRIJO

Vojtech Havel (cello), Petr Chlouba (percussion), Miroslav Pudlak (piano), Vaclav Bratrych (saxophone)

Inventive jazz-fusion.

URFAUST

Mirka Krivankova (vocals), Patrick Fulgoni (vocals), Richard Mader (guitar, keyboards, effects, bass), Petr Venkrbec (sax), Pavel Ryba (bass), Frantisek Svacina (keyboards), Chris Sykes (drums) #

Bizarre underground psych/prog and Kava Kava hybrid.

UZ JSME DOMA

Miroslav Wanek (vocals, guitar, vibes, celesta, piano), Jindrich Dolansky (tenor sax, vocals), Alice Kalouskova (alto sax, vocals), Romek Janzlik (guitar, vocals), Pavel Kerka (bass, vocals), Milan Novy (drums, vocals)

A peculiar twist on new-wave, folk musics, and radical weird pop. Comparable to Pere Ubu.

Karel VELEBNY & SHQ

Influential big-band free-jazz and jazz-fusion outfit, acclaimed as the very first Czech jazz-rock group (formed in 1967).

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 78

> JAZZ A LA CARTE

Oldrich VESELY & Pavel VRBA

Melodic rock featuring Synkopy members.

Emil VIKLICKY

Jazz pianist and fusion group leader, much in demand as a jazz and pop session musician.

> JAZZ A LA CARTE

plus many more

Alan VITOUS

The brothers Alan and Miroslav Vitous were originally in a jazz trio with Jan Hammer in the 1960s, who split when Miroslav gained a scholarship in Boston, USA in 1967 followed by Jan also absconding to the US. Alan however remained in Czechoslovakia, inactive (discography wise) until the 1980s.

plus lots of collaborations and session work

Miroslav VITOUS

An innovative jazz bassist, much of Miroslav's 1970s output is with Weather Report, and he is also much travelled as a soloist and in collaboration with other artists (mostly on ECM Records with the likes of Terje Rypdal). In the late-80s Miroslav was able to return to Czechoslovakia and again work together with his brother. Here are some of his most celebrated albums of the 70s.

plus lots more

Zbynek VOSTRAK

Contemporary classical, avant-garde and electronic music composer.

> FROM CZECH ELECTRONIC MUSIC STUDIOS

ZENTOUR

Janek Ledecky (guitar, vocals), Jan Cerny (bass), Petr Ackermann (keyboards), David Koller (drums)

Late-1980s prog.

plus numerous singles.

ZIKKURAT

Jiri Krivka (vocals, guitar, synthesizer, bass, drums), Vilem Cok (vocals, bass, guitar, percussion), Tomas Havrda (drums)

Underground in MCH Band / Extempore Band vein, with Can and new-wave touches too.

Z KOPCE

Petr Vasa (vocals, guitars), Pavel Zelma (bass, piano, choir, viola), Pavel Koudelka (drums, percussion, choir), Vojtech Kupcik (violin) #

Parallel band to Osklid. Eccentric rock, a bit like Pere Ubu.

Various Artists

collection tracing the careers of two guitarists: Frantisek Francl and Vladimir Padrunka's with Flamengo, Etc. and Jazz Q, with many rare tracks.

featuring: Lubos Andrst, Radim Hladik, Michal Pavlicek, etc.

live recordings by: Extempore Band, Jablkon, Jeste Jsme Se Nedohodli, MCH Band, etc.

avant-garde electronics by Zbynek Vostrak, Miroslav Istvan, Vaclav Kucera.

Combo FH, Jazz Q, SHQ, Emil Viklicky, etc.

new 80s jazz-rock by Transjazz, Naima, Jan Buchar Quartet, Jakub Venzel.

jazz-rock festival, with: CH.A.S.A., Impuls, Jazz Q, Jazzrockova Dilna.

jazz-rock festival, with: Energit, Jazz Q and Impuls.

introduction to Czech synth music. Including: Daniel Forro (ex-Progres 2 keyboardist), Jiri Hradec (ex-Extempore Band), Jan Jirasek (computer specialist), Pavel Kopecky, Martin Kratochvil (former leader of Jazz Q), Jiri Stohner, etc.

with Flamengo, Framus Five, etc.

festival recordings by Blues Five, Flamengo, Framus Five, etc.

theatrical concept with rare original tracks by Modry Efekt and Olympic.

EAST GERMANY / DDR

Extremely strict, the DDR government via the sole state-owned pop, rock and jazz label: Amiga, allowed very little in the way of progressive music to appear until the late 1970s. Even then, if lyrics were included, they had to be written by state vetted lyricists! It's surprising that a progressive music scene grew at all in the DDR, but what did grow was like a miniature reflection of the West German scene, but with a unique feel that's most distinctive.

Since the re-unification of Germany there seems to be no active scene, (excepting a few synthesists) most bands having been killed-off by the strong political stranglehold of the 80s. The Amiga label seems to have disappeared too.

BAYON

Christoph Theusner (acoustic guitar, flute), Sonny Thet (vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion), Reiner Patzold (bass) #

Blending oriental musics with psychedelic rock and jazz, Bayon were unique and often surprising. Their early works on the "Hallo" series were very Krautrock styled, but with the influence of oriental members on their LPs they moved towards the ethnic realms of Continuum or Between. There are also a number of compilations from the HALLO recordings and albums issued on CD plus a reformation.

Audion extract: These are a most curious band. Seemingly half Oriental, half European their music is a fusion of both cultures: traditional oriental instruments and folk melodies meet with guitars etc and European fusion to make something new - a kind of East-West music (but that doesn't-really make any sense here, I suppose it's really Far East-Near East music!). Their debut BAYON displayed an awareness in how to mix musics different to anyone else, there's even a little bit of classical music in two tracks. The closest comparison I could call to this is early albums by Tri Atma but with a "Chinese" feel rather than Indian. Above all else however, Bayon prove to be exceptionally talented musicians on a variety-of familiar and obscure instruments and genuinely forage a new niche in music with this album. I haven't heard their second album, however their third EL SONIDO is quite different. Nigh on all the jazzy elements have gone, replaced entirely by light rock and classical motifs. The mixture is undoubtedly more original, Jet from my point of view far less successful, as the very sedate atmosphere makes it a mite lacklustre and inconsequential. However, Bayon are a band to check out if you're interested in world-music at all.

> HALLO, NR. 1

> HALLO, NR. 2

> HALLO, NR. 8

> HALLO, NR. 9

BERLUC

Dietmar Ranker (drums), Alexander Stehr (keyboards), Manfred Kahler (vocals), Gerd Poppel (guitar), Gunter Briesenick (bass)

Initially a space-rock group of great promise, with an ambitious concept debut seemingly inspired by Pink Floyd's DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. Later LP's pursued a more ordinary hard-rock style.

Audion extract: Berluc were a one album wonder, with later albums after their debut being rather ordinary. REISE ZU DEN STERNEN tells the story of a journey into space via a selection of songs and instrumentals segued by abstract electronic effects, computer voices etc. It's probably the closest thing in East Germany to DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, though the range of styles is even wider.

Hansi BIEBL BAND

Hansi Biebl (vocals, guitar), Peter Krause (drums), Michael Kaszubowski (bass), Stefan Schirrmacher (guitar), Willi Becker (bass), Carlos Shuffat (percussion), Bernd Kleinow (harmonica)

Blues band.

BURKHOLZ FORMATION

Blues/brass-rock group, with hints of Panta Rhei.

> HALLO, NR. 10

CENTRIC

Punchy psych-spiced rock with a Die Puhdys edge.

> HALLO, NR. 8

CITY

Georgi Gogow (bass, violin), Toni Krahl (vocals, 12-string guitar), Klaus Selmke (drums), Fritz Puppel (guitars) #

Originally with a Bulgarian guitarist, City offered a unique blending of folk ethnic styles and rock. Their debut LP spawned the hit single "Am Fenster", an inventive song, it lead to the more experimental DER TATOWIERTE. Latterly without George Gogow however their music has become more like a Teutonic version of The Eagles!

Audion extract: These started as a folk-rock group who had an unexpected hit single with AM FENSTER in both East and West Germany. This seemingly sealed their success as all their albums (plus a retrospective with English lyrics) have been released in West Germany. Their debut showed an erratic band torn between commerciality and invention, and contained a side-long expanded version of their hit. The second album DER TATOWIERTE (or CITY 2 in West Germany) proved to be their best, containing many good tracks, particularly the excellent Bulgarien Rock with its elaborate variations on folk melodies, rattling along with a myriad of guitar solos, it ducks and dives melodically in most frenetic fashion. The interplay of guitar against drums is almost like that of Ax Genrich and Mani Neumeier in Guru Guru. Further releases sadly tended to follow from the poorer tracks on these albums, and hence they haven't really come up with another good album since, unless I've missed it that is!

and at least 6 more!

DATZU

Rainer Oleak (keyboards), Annett Kolpin (vocals), Peter Lorenz (alto sax, percussion), Ingo Politz (drums, keyboards), Stefan Schirmacher (guitar), Peter "Bimbo" Rasym (bass)

Pop rock.

Jurgen ECKE

Tangerine Dream inspired synthesist.

ELECTRA

Bernd Aust (flute, sax, keyboards), Hans Peter Dohanetz (keyboards), Peter Ludewig (drums, percussion, vocals), Wolfgang Riedel (bass), Peter Sandkaulen (guitars), Stephan Trepte (vocals)

One of the longest running DDR bands. During the 70s they only got to make one proper album, ADAPTIONEN an instrumental classical rock outing. The other two are anthologies that cover a decade between them, with ELECTRA 3 as their definitive prog album. After the symphonic rock opus DIE SIXTINISCHE MADONNA however, Electra became trapped by the system, only allowed to make music that was 'safe', thus they adopted a lightweight Novalis-like style.

Audion extract: ...their second ADAPTIONEN presented them as a most talented classical-rock group. All the works are rock adaptations of famous classical pieces, and for what it is it's very successful - one of the finest such LP's I've heard - really good arrangements, lots of keyboards and flute, but a bit lacking in the guitar department (i.e. the guitarist is good but nothing special). I'd thoroughly recommend it to those who like instrumental The Nice, Ekseption, Trace and such-like. ELECTRA 3 didn't surface until 1980, in fact this features recordings from over several years, even before the second LP, and catalogues the progress of a schizophrenic innovative band, from quaintly dated psychedelia, through symphonic rock, hard-rock, to a most bizarre song that resembles Floh De Cologne. There's many great instrumentals, and there's also a style of prog-rock presented here that became-indigenous to East Germany - a type of symphonic style with unusual timed rhythms, subtle musical interplay and poetic German lyric - not unlike the West German band Novalis. Their next album: DIE SIXTINISCHE MADONNA was a most ambitious project. Mainly a long suite with a large operatic chorale, it was a bold statement that had some great moments, though the operatic content can be a bit hard to come to grips with. Latterly, further Electra albums paled and became inconsequential.

> HALLO, NR. 3

> HALLO, NR. 5

> HALLO, NR. 6

> HALLO, NR. 12

> HALLO, NR. 1/75

> SACHSENDREIER

plus a few split singles on the DT Studio series, etc.

EXPANDER DES FORTSCHRITTS

Uwe Baumgratner (vocals), Jorg Beilfuss (drums, keyboards), Susanne Binas (sax, keyboards, vocals), Eckehard Binas (keyboards, guitar, sax), Mario Persch (guitar, vocals)

Experimental new-wave, much like a collision of Einsturzende Neubauten and Henry Cow.

FIEDLER / EITNER / SCHLOTT

Wolfgang Fiedler (keyboards, sequencer, computer, percussion), Gerhard Eitner (guitars, bass), Volker Schlott (soprano/alto/sopranino saxes, flutes, percussion, zither)

High-tech fusion with Pat Metheny and systemic styles.

Audion extract: Released on the Amiga Jazz series UNIT is totally unlike any other jazz based music I've heard from Eastern Germany, in fact to just call such music as this jazz is completely wrong. Unit are a trio of versatile multi-instrumentalists, very adept and inventive, and heavily influenced by Western fusion and new-age music. Thus they sound totally unlike an East Euro band, more like an amalgam of Egberto Gismonti , Pat Metheney, Jan Garbarek and others, whilst also taking in elements of systems music of the Lost Jockey / Mikel Rouse type, and exploring that new field of music "electronic-fusion" too. A very inventive and enticing blend that, while in parts being a bit too boppy for my personal taste, should be of interest to anyone into hi-tech innovative fusion.

UNIT (LP: Amiga 8 56 330)

Lutz GLANDIEN

Electroacoustic music composer.

Nina HAGEN (BAND)

Nina Hagen (vocals), Herwig Mitteregger (drums), Manfred Praeker (bass), Bernhard Potschka (guitar), Reinhold Heil (keyboards)

Outrageous female vocalist, who made quite an impression when she defected to the West, joining up with musicians from satirical rock band Lokomotive Kreuzberg, spurred on by the new-wave.

> HALLO 1/75 - as Nina Hagen & Automobil

HANS DIE GEIGE

Violinist Hans Wintoch aided by Stern Meissen members.

Peter HOLTEN-SEPTET

Early-70s beat/brass-rock band, with a kind of Krautrocky/psych-pop edge.

> HALLO, NR. 8

> HALLO, NR. 10

and on various other compilations!

JOCO-DEV-SEXTETT

Formed in 1967, these were unfortunate in that their only output during their 14 year history was a single and a few contributions on compilations. Based on their Hallo tracks they were a psychedelic rock band with hints of Jade Warrior and Jethro Tull.

Cosmic Egg extract: Based on their HALLO series contributions, these were obviously far too progressive for the strictly controlled DDR scene. They would seem to have been inspired by British acts like Jade Warrior, Raw Material, et al., but they added a psychedelic feel kind of like Die Puhdys, with a little Krautrock feeling too. A unique combination. A great shame they never made an album, as it could have been quite phenomenal.

> HALLO, NR. 1

> HALLO, NR. 3

> HALLO, NR. 8

KARAT

Herbert Dreilich (vocals, guitar), Hans-Joachim Neumann (vocals), Henning Protzmann (bass, vocals), Bernd Romer (guitar), Michael Schwandt (drums), Ulrich Swillms (keyboards)

Amongst the most popular of DDR progressives, with Pink Floyd and Novalis stylings in the typical DDR light progressive style, with angular German lyrics and a symphonic feel.

Audion extract: Also very patchy are the long-running Karat. The have gained many releases in West Germany and seem be exceptionally popular. Most of their albums a song saturated, fusing folk melodies with pop-roc techno and space styles, they can sound like anything from The Police to Grobschnitt to Pink Floyd and course Novalis (again!). The best I've heard is the 1979 album ALBATROS.

UBER SIEBEN BRUCKEN (LP: Amiga 8 55 695) 1979 © 1979, aka ALBATROS (LP: Pool 6.24087) © 1979 (CD: Teldec 244 107-2) © 1988 - on ALBATROS track "Konig Der Welt", which was a minor hit single in W.Germany (culled from the DDR debut LP) substituted "He Mama"

and at least 10 more and loads of singles!

KARUSSELL

Reinhard Huth (vocals, 12-string guitar), Jochen Hohl (drums), Wolf Rudiger Raschke (keyboards), Bernd Dunnebeil (guitars), Peter Glaser (vocals, guitars), Claus Winter (bass)

Mainstream progressive rock, like more commercial Karat.

plus loads of singles!

Jurgen KERTH

Jurgen Kerth (guitar, vocals, bass), Lothar Wilke (keyboards), Eberland Meyerdirks (drums, percussion), Bernd Kleinow (harmonica) #

[aka KERTH or Jurgen Kerth Band] Very varied rock.

> HALLO, NR. 5

plus singles

KEY

Frank Fehse & Andreas Fregin (synthesizers)

Upbeat and tuneful synth music.

Horst KRUGER-BAND

Horst Kruger (vocals, keyboards), Harry Meder (piano, organ), Heinz-Jürgen Gottschalk (vocals, guitar), Bernd Romer (guitar), Bernd Schulze (saxophone, flute), Stefan Geuther (drums)

Jazzy edged rock, with Nucleus and psychedelic DDR styles. HALLO 1/74 features a version of "Tagesreise" which was later recorded by Lift.

> HALLO 1/74

> HALLO 1/75

Reinhard LAKOMY

In the 70s he was keyboardist with many groups and also made a series of children's albums! Then, inspired by Tangerine Dream's momentous East Berlin concert, he went on to create a derivative, but unusual, synth music with a balance of melody and dissonance, also drawing in elements of Jean Michel Jarre and Klaus Schulze.

Audion extract: This guy is their greatest exponent of synth music so far. With his first album DAS GEHEIME LEBEN released in 1981, he took the Tangerine Dream TANGRAM type sound, added a touch of avant-garde abstraction and an equal helping of more commercial melodies and up-beat rhythm to create an album that should have as wide appeal as say Jarre's OXYGENE (except there's nothing on it that could make a hit single). With lengthy tracks that contain nice slow build-ups and sequencer progressions, complex orchestrations and unusual changes, Reinhard showed that an East German could rival the talent of most of the new breed of German or British synthesist, and in fact better many of them. DER TRAUM VON ASGARD came along two years later and followed a similar formula, but with more emphasis on rhythm and melody, and melodic drifts as opposed to abstract ones. ZEITEN recorded along with Rainer Oleak in 1985 saw a further moving away from the TD sound and was a mixed success with some really innovative new rhythmic styles and some less appealing romantic/reflective pieces. Still a better than average synth album that has its own identity, and for that reason is well worth seeking out if you're fed up with lots of synth albums that sound the same.

> LOOKING EAST - EAST GERMANY

plus lots not relevant here!

LIFT

Werther Lohse (drums, vocals), Michael Heubach (synthesizer, organ, electric piano), Till Patzer (alto sax, flute, vocals), Wolfgang Scheffler (electric piano, Mellotron, synthesizer), Henry Pacholski (vocals), Gerhard Zachar (bass, vocals)

Generally a pop-rock band akin to Karat, they moved onto more progressive realms on MEERESFAHRT, with lengthy keyboard fronted tracks akin to Stern Combo Meissen and SBB. Keyboardist Michael Heubach later fronted the pop band Elefant.

Audion extract: Lift have recorded many LP's and are still around today. The greatest triumph I've heard by them yet their 1978 album MEERSFAHRT which contained Stern Meissen type songs alongside power{ or spacious rock fusion. The lengthy title track evoked a dynamism rivalling SBB (or Mahavishnu Orchestra, though not in a jazzy setting). Other albums have had their moments, but are generally very patchy.

> HALLO, NR. 10

> HALLO, 1/74

> SACHSENDREIER

plus loads of singles!

MAGDEBURG

Dietrich Kessler (keyboards, flute, sax), Gisbert Piatkowski (guitar, vocals), Rudiger Barton (keyboards, vocals), Andreas Kuhnt (bass, vocals), Bernd Schilanski (drums), Hans-Joachim Kneis (lead vocals)

Good melodic progressive, with a strong lyrical and well-balanced style, with Pink Floyd touches, but mostly derivative of Novalis, Karat, etc.

DIE NAUTIKS

Rather dated, early-70s bluesy rock band documented on 3 split singles and on...

> HALLO, NR. 1

> HALLO, NR. 8

NEUE GENERATION

Petko Datschew (tenor sax, flute, percussion), Heinz-Jürgen Gottschalk (guitar, vocals, percussion), Rainer Oleak (keyboards, percussion), Daniel Michna (drums, percussion), Hans-Joachim Schweda (bass, vocals), Wolfgang Kobischke (guitar)

Surprisingly poor/mainstream super-group, typically DDR styled excepting some disco/soul touches, at their best a bit like Karat.

NO 55

Frank Gahler (vocals, harmonica), Gisbert Piatkowski (guitar), Bernd Hauke (drums, percussion), Georgi Gogow (bass, keyboards, vocals), + Carsten Mohren (keyboards), Rene Decker (alto sax), Andreas Wiszoreck (alto sax), Katrin Lindner (vocals)

Pop rock with Georgi Gogow from City.

plus singles

PANTA RHEI

Veronika Fischer (vocals), Herbert Dreilich (guitar, vocals), Henning Protzmann (bass, vocals), Ulrich Swillms (piano, organ), Frank Hille (drums), Bernd Richter (trumpet), Ralph Stolle (trombone), Joachim Schmauch (alto sax, flute), Rudolf Ulbricht (tenor sax, flute)

Historic prog-fusion super group (pre-Karat), with Blood Sweat & Tears, Colosseum and Modry Efekt influence.

> HALLO, NR. 1

> HALLO, NR. 5

> HALLO, 1/75

Wolfgang PAULKE

Formula Tangerine Dream inspired synthesist.

> ELECTRONIC POP

> ZEITKLANGE ELECTRONICS

> LOOKING EAST - EAST GERMANY

POND

Wolfgang Fuchs, Harald Wittkowski (electronic instruments, percussion) #

Originally a rock band inspired by SBB, they'd become a synth duo by the time of their debut LP, with a melodic rhythmic music strongly influenced by Tangerine Dream.

> LOOKING EAST - EAST GERMANY

PRINZIP

Rainer Kirchmann (keyboards), Jurgen Matkiowitz (guitar), Frank Czerny (bass), Klaus Scharfschwerdt (drums)

Progressive rock, akin to Karat, Berluc, Omega, etc.

> HALLO 1/75

DIE PUHDYS

Dieter Hertrampf (guitar, vocals), Dieter Birr (guitar, vocals), Harry Jeske (bass), Peter Meyer (keyboards), Gunther Wosylus (drums) #

Originally one of the most progressive pop bands around, their early recordings are often extraordinary and surprising. But, unfortunately their success lead to their downfall as bland copyists of Western trends. Hugely successful later on, but of little interest to prog fans.

DDR Releases...

> HALLO NR. 1

> HALLO NR. 3

> HALLO NR. 4

> HALLO NR. 6

> HALLO NR. 9

> HALLO NR. 10

> HALLO NR. 12

> HALLO 1/75

plus, at least 10 more albums and 60+ singles!

West German Releases...

plus, at least 8 others!

REFORM

Stephan Trepte (vocals, keyboards), Jorg Blankenburg (guitar), Werner Kunze (keyboards, guitar), Jorg Dobbersch (bass), Peter Piele (drums)

With elements of Deep Purple and Pink Floyd blended with a hard-edge Karat type sound Reform's debut was patchy but interesting. Sadly, later albums were not so interesting.

Audion extract: Reform were another band to note. Their debut REFORM was a mixture of refined hard-rock and space rock styles, plus occasionally a bit of folkiness. The album's greatest claim to fame was the 10 minute Feuerball which evoked itself as development from Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond and taking it to more dynamic heights. A later alb UHREN OHNE ZEIGER however, had few redeeming merits.

Klaus RENFT-COMBO

Klaus Renft (bass), Peter Glaser (guitar, vocals), Peter Kschentz (winds), Jochen Hohl (drums), Christian Kunert (keyboards, trombone, guitar, vocals), Thomas Schoppe (guitar, vocals)

[aka RENFT] Melodic rock band from Berlin who started pop, then went a little bit prog and then went back to pop again.

> HALLO, NR. 3

> HALLO, NR. 4

> HALLO, NR. 6

> HALLO, 1/74

and many more

Uve SCHIKORA UND SEINE GRUPPE

Uve Schikora (vocals, soprano sax, piano, organ), Michael Schubert (vocals, 12-string guitar), Bernd Muller (organ), Jurgen Matkiowitz (guitar), Jurgen Diessner (bass), Reiner Miehatsch (drums) #

Psychedelic rock blending in psychedelia and Krautrock. Amazingly the instrumental breaks hint at Nosferatu and Xhol!

Cosmic Egg extract: An obscure DDR band, formed by students at the Dresdner Musikhochschule "Carl-Maria von Weber" in 1970, who by the time of their debut LP only Uve and organist Bernd Muller remained from the original line-up. Some earlier (unknown to us) singles exist, and the band were also involved in an Omega tribute album, and as backing for other singers. DAS GEWITTER ("The Thunderstorm") took a step on from pop music (opening with two lighter beat numbers), before blending in psychedelia and Krautrock, to make something quite unique. Beyond Die Puhdys, quaintly dated, yet with the raw edge of invention, and hints of Nosferatu and Xhol in the instrumentals. It shows that, had history been different, bands like this may have blossomed like their Western counterparts.

plus collaboration singles, etc.

Theo SCHUMANN COMBO

Theo Schumann (saxophones, piano), Achim Gutsche (Moog, piano), Günther Püschner (guitar), Klaus Berger (bass), Gerd Schönfelder (drums)

Very quaint and dated psych, with some great instrumentals.

and loads of singles

SCIRROCO

Haymo Doerk, Lutz Forstbauer, Manfred Pokrandt, Uwe Geisler

Obscure early-70s psychedelia, aka Scirocco-Combo known for their HALLO contributions. They also issued a couple of singles later.

> HALLO, NR. 1

> HALLO, NR. 3

> HALLO, NR. 8

SERVI

Jan Bilk, Tomas Nawka

Synth duo in the Tangerine Dream, Tyndall, Rolf Trostel vein.

RUCKKEHR AUS ITHAKA (LP: Amiga 8 56 229)

PAS DE DEUX IN H (LP: Amiga 8 56 334)

Hans-Hasso STAMER

Varied synth.

> ELECTRONIC POP

> LOOKING EAST - EAST GERMANY

STERN (COMBO) MEISSEN

Lothar Kramer (keyboards), Norbert Jager (vocals, percussion, keyboards), Reinhard Fissler (vocals), Martin Schreier (drums), Bernd Fiedler (bass), Thomas Kurzhals (keyboards)

The finest DDR progressive during the 70s, with a great symphonic rock sound, comparable to many of the finest West German bands of the era, often going for lengthy conceptual works of great invention. STUNDENSCHLAG saw a down-turn in quality and the start of a complete change in personnel. NACHTE was thus by a totally different band of younger pop-minded musicians!

Audion extract: Their debut STERN-COMBO MEISSEN appeared in 1977 and presented them as a talent symphonic rock band: good songs with those Novalis type phrasings and lots of instrumental passages, with two keyboardists they made a big sound and managed get by without a guitarist. The lengthy version of Night On Bare Mountain showed their affinity with classical music, and is a very synthesized variation nicely arranged in a very dynamic classical rock. WEISSES GOLD consists of a lengthy symphonic rock suite, with full orchestra, and a speaker who poetically narrates the story of the album. Here the music is a grandiose and dynamic affair, with even more keyboards and synths, slight Moody Blues like songs, and instrumental riffing on par with SBB: it must have been quite a landmark of East German rock, and because of its highly synthesized arrangements stands up well against the western contemporaries even today. Obviously a successful band as they got another album out in 1979 entitled DER WEITE WEG. This was a more conventional collection of songs (a couple of tracks were released as singles) and an instrumental: an arrangement of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (in 12 minutes!), heavily synthesized sounds like a cross between Tomita and the aforementioned Electra LP. Other tracks resemble Novalis or occasionally the likes of Yes and Genesis. Dropping the "Combo" from their group name. they released in REISE ZUM MITTELPUNKT DES MENSCHEN a very fine space-rock album. A step on from WEISSES GOLD and again a continuous suite, but more dynamic and synthesized, it has been hailed as techno-rock classic - it certainly fuses many of the best elements of ELP, the space music of Grobschnitt, Pink Floyd, dynamic synth arrangements and the Stern Meissen sound all into one glorious whole. It's probably the best East German album I've heard.

> HALLO, NR. 5

> SACHSENDREIER

plus numerous compilations

TRANSIT

Egon Linde (guitar, vocals), Siegfried Scholz (keyboards, vocals), Ulrich Schauf (bass), Lutz Kruger (drums)

Typical DDR melodic rock and progressive with some Pink Floyd and Genesis inspiration, folky touches, etc. Their originally unreleased second album contains more in the way of City and Electra influences. They reformed in the late 1990s and have released more albums.

Audion extract: Transit's BERNSTENHEXE seems to be all re-recorded versions of hit singles (1976-81), in fact I'd heard most of this album when I used listen to an East German radio station circa 1979-80. All the best tracks are 1980 or earlier, and particular the Floydian Sturmflut.

plus a few compilations

Reinhard WALTER

ECM style piano fronted jazz fusion. He also arranged and played keyboards on Pascal von Wroblewsky's SWINGING POOL album.

WIR

Hans-Joachim Kluge (drums, percussion), Rainer Bloss (bass, vocals), Ingolf Zwick (guitar), Wolfgang Ziegler (vocals, piano, Mellotron), Doris Martin (vocals, percussion)

Pop, rock & soul band with influences as diverse as The Moody Blues and Santana. They split in 1980 and the reformed as Wolfgang Ziegler + WIR disbanding again in 1986.

> HALLO, NR. 5

> HALLO, NR. 6

> HALLO, NR. 9

> HALLO, NR. 11

plus a few more singles, split releases, compilations, etc.

Various Artists

DT-64 (7": Amiga - various catalogue numbers)

a series of radio show singles, many of them split releases, not generally for sale to the public

new synth acts: Julian Krebs, Key, Wolfgang Paulke, Hans-Hasso Stamer.

feat. Czerwone Gitary, Die Nautiks, Die Puhdys, Panta Rhei, Joco-Dev-Sextett, Scirroco, Bayon.

feat. ABC, Bayon.

feat. Die Puhdys, Scirroco, Klaus Renft-Combo, Joco-Dev-Sextett, Electra, etc.

feat. Klaus Renft-Combo, Anawa, Die Puhdys, etc.

feat. Kerth, WIR, Electra, Anawa, Panta Rhei, Stern-Combo Meissen, etc.

feat. Pavol Hammel, Klaus Renft-Combo, WIR, Die Puhdys, Frantisek Griglak (Collegium Musicum guitarist), Electra, Omega.

feat. Omega, Pavol Hammel, Locomotiv GT, Vaclav Neckar (member of Bacily), etc.

feat. Bayon, Joco-Dev-Sextett, Scirroco, Die Nautiks, etc.

feat. Skaldowie, Modry Efekt, Omega, Die Puhdys, Breakout, WIR, Bayon, etc.

feat. Die Puhdys, Modry Efekt, Skaldowie, Breakout, Lift, etc.

live! Feat. Breakout, Locomotiv GT, Collegium Musicum, WIR, etc.

feat. Electra, Die Puhdys, Omega, Skaldowie, etc.

feat. Klaus Renft-Combo, Lift, Skaldowie, etc.

feat. Electra, Nina Hagen & Automobil, Panta Rhei, Prinzip, Die Puhdys, etc.

synth sampler: Rainer Oleak, Reinhard Lakomy, Pond, Wolfgang Paulke, Jorn Kanitz, Hans-Hasso Stamer, Julius Krebs.

live recordings: Stern-Combo Meissen, Lift, Electra

synth sampler: Jurgen Ecke, Wolfgang Paulke, Servi, Lakomy/Oleak, Stern Meissen, Pond, Key, etc.

ESTONIA

FRAGILE

Robert Jurjendal (guitars, sampler, e-bow, tape), Arvo Urb (drums, percussion, sampler), Maido Maadik (tape, treatments)

Varied fusions and folky stuff, hints of Osjan, etc.

Igor GARSNEK & Nevil BLUMBERG

Igor Garsnek (piano, synthesizers, vocoder, rhythm composer), Nevil Blumberg (guitar, percussion, synthesizer, vocoder)

Varied instrumental progressive rock and fusion, with touches of Camel, SFF, Gryphon and others, but also distinctive with that elusive Russian feel.

Igor GARSNEK & DATA

Urmas Alender (vocals), Igor Garsnek (keyboards), + Mihkel Raud (guitar), Tiit Aunaste (rhythms), Olevine Choir conducted by Vello Rand

Bombastic rock opera based on George Orwell's fable.

Gunnar GRAPS MAGNETIC BAND

Gunnar Graps (drums, vocals), plus session musicians

Psychedelic styled rock, blues and jazz. Gunnar Graps had been active on the scene since the 1960s.

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

Sven GRUNBERG

Electronic music pioneer who began his career with Eduard Artemiev and Vladimir Martynov. He established the rock group Messe in 1974, and has since pioneered a unique synth music with ethnic overtones.

Audion extract (Boheme feature): Sven Grunberg I'd reported on many a time in the early days of Audion (he later signed to Erdenklang) and he was perceived by many as the "Russian" pioneer of synthesizer/new-age music. But, really, Sven's place in music is more than that. He's Estonian actually, and he started his electronics career in Moscow with the real Russian pioneers Eduard Artemiev and Vladimir Martynov. Their unique angle on electronic exploration really influenced him, and he blended all he learned into a music that mixed Western and Eastern styles with his own culture. As such Sven could be classed as the Estonian Vangelis, as an all-rounded musical explorer, starting with his rock group Messe (in 1974), and moving on to many different fields of exploration. His HINGUS, dating 1978-80, is a rich cosmic opus that parallels the innovation of Klaus Schulze at the same time, whereas OM collecting works from 1981-87 is much more laid-back and breezy.

> LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA AND RUSSIA

HORTUS MUSICUS

Baroque medieval folk fusion.

plus at least 20 more!

IN SPE

Peeter Brambat (flute, tenor recorder), Toivo Kopli (bass), Priit Kuulberg (digital normalizer, vocoder), Mart Metsala (synthesizers, organ), Riho Sibul (guitars), Anne Tuur (pianos), Erkki-Sven Tuur (synthesizers, flute, recorder, vocals), Arvo Urb (drums) #

Basically the same band as Kaseke, In Spe offer a spacey fusion with great dynamics and a vaguely Scandinavian feel akin to the likes of Finnforest, Pekka Pohjola, et al. On their second, elements of the Canterbury type sound can be picked up, and of course there's always the unique "typewriter percussionist".

Audion extract: IN SPE (Eesti Radio) CD - Some of you may know of the Estonian band In Spe via a CD issued on Musea. But, much more invigorating and involved is this, their 1982 debut album. At this time In Spe's history also entwined with the similarly excellent (more jazzy) Kaseke. Those that love richly symphonic (not mushy, but robust) instrumental progressive should go a bundle on this, There's only one song, the very bold and anthem like Antidolorosum, which is in a world of its own. Elsewhere the music is of that slightly Scandinavian (i.e. Pekka Pohjola, Finnforest) feel, with distinct East Euro characteristics of bands like Modry Efekt, or more so the likes of Tako or Solaris. Yes, along with the keyboards there's lot of flutes in there, all mixed in with all sorts of cultural influences. Maybe I should mention Jade Warrior (incredibly so at one point) and the dramatic instrumentals of Camel. Its all - amazing!

KASEKE

Priit Kuulberg (bass), Ain Varts (guitar), Peeter Malkov (flute), Riho Sibul (guitar), Andrus Vaht (drums), Mart Metsala (synthesizers) #

Spacey instrumental fusion with ethnic and folky touches. Almost the same band as In Spe. POLETUS however is their finest, on par with Fermata, Leb I Sol, M. Efekt, et al. There's also some Scandinavian feel like some Pekka Pohjola.

Audion extract (Boheme feature): Kaseke were a historic Estonian band (inter-linked with the also excellent, more prog-based, In Spe) and were pioneers of a rock fusion sometimes close to Pekka Pohjola and other Central / East European acts like Leb I Sol, Tako or Solaris. The CD POLETUS / SONUM collects their debut EP and LP on one CD and is a must for those that like this instrumental prog genre, especially if you love intricately woven solos of flute, keyboards and guitars. Kaseke were a little-known gem from Eastern Europe that is destined to become a classic.

LINNU TEE

Indrek Patte (vocals, keyboards), Margus Kliimask (bass, keyboards), Raul Jaanson (guitars), Tarvi Jaago (drums, percussion, flute), Harmo Kallaste (keyboards), Ivo "Cliff" Vanem (keyboards)

Modern style heavy AOR prog.

Kyrile LOO

Estonian folk/ethnic and fusions.

MAGNETIK BAND > Gunnar GRAPS

Alo MATTIISEN

Classical and electronics by In Spe keyboardist.

MESS

Sven Grunberg (keyboards, vocals), Elmu Vark (guitar), Matti Timmermann (bass), Andrus Vaht, Ivar Sipra (drums, percussion), etc.

One of the first Estonian prog bands. They never released anything during their lifetime.

NE ZHDALI

Leonid Soibelman (guitars, lead vocals), Ilya Komarov (basses), Vitaly Redchits (drums, percussion), Oleg Davidovitch (trombone, guitar, bells, back vocals), Victor Bitlovsky (voice, objects), Vadim Veeremaa (trumpet, alto sax, back vocals), Avi Nedzvetsky (piano) #

Inspired by folk musics and a radical political attitude, Ne Zhdali surprisingly resemble the likes of Etron Fou, Debile Menthol, etc.

PANTOKRATOR

Aivar Otsing (bass), Andres Moro (guitar), Anne Turnpu (vocals), Erik Sakkov (keyboards), Jaan Soot (guitar, keyboards), Kaido Soobik (bass), Kalle Vilpuu (guitar), Lauri Saatpalu (vocals), Mait Karm (guitar), Peeter Jogioja (drums), Priit Karm (drums), Roland Puusepp (drums), Tonu Raadik (violin), Viktor Vassiljev (guitar) #

Bizarre folky prog with techno edges.

PROPELLER

U. Alender (vocals), Peeter Volkonski (vocals), P. Maarits (vocals), Ain Varts (guitar), I. Varts (drums), Priit Kuulberg (bass), Riho Sibul (guitar), Peeter Malkov (vocals, flute)

Pre-Kaseke.

RADAR

Nevil Blumberg, Aare Poder, Raul Vaigla, etc.

Scandinavian styled jazz-rock, with lively funky moves, for those into later Janne Schaffer or Jukka Tolonen. They also recorded as the backing band to pop singer Jaak Joala.

RUJA

Igor Garsnek, Indrek Patte, Toomas Rull, Arvo Urb, Andrus Vaht, etc

Cross-genre rock and folk progressive band established since 1971.

Riho SIBUL

Folky and progressive mix, hints of Czech folk, etc.

ULTIMA THULE

Riho Sibul (vocals, acoustic guitar), Raul Vaigla (basses), Kalle Vilpuu (acoustic guitar), Toomas Rull (drums, percussion), Tonis Magi (vocals), Aare Poder (keyboards) #

Heavy rock, folk and new-wave, quite unusual.

Peeter VAHI

A most original and inventive synthesist, with a fascination for ethnic culture and unusual fusions, venturing into more esoteric realms.

LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA AND RUSSIA

VITAMIIN

Mait Maltis (vocals), Marju Lanik (vocals), Rein Laaneorg (guitars), Peeter Vahi (keyboards), Kulno Luht (bass), Mikk Targo (drums)

Oddball bombastic rock.

Peeter VOLKONSKI

Eccentric stuff from ex-Propeller / pre-Kaseke singer.

VSP PROJEKT

Riho Sibul (guitar), Aare Poder (keyboards), Raul Vaigla (bass), Andrus Vaht (drums, percussion)

Varied fusion in Jan Schaffer / Jeff Beck / Pekka Pohjola vein.

GEORGIA

LABYRINTH

Rock group from Batumi, Georgian SSR, USSR.

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

HUNGARY

The politico-musical status of Hungary was probably the most liberal, with strong folk culture, and a very active pop and rock scene. Although numerous record labels existed, it seems that they were all controlled by the state-owned Hungaroton. The promotion of the arts internationally has resulted in many Hungarian bands becoming widely known. There were many borderline pop bands that did the odd more interesting track during their years like Hungaria (a Troggs like beat band) or Illes (acclaimed as the Hungarian Beatles), but we have to draw the line somewhere.

The very gradual move towards a democracy in Hungary during the 80s has seemingly kept the structure of Hungaroton intact, whilst there has also been a growing number of private independents.

A.E. BIZOTTSAG

Bizarre rock with theatrical and fusion elements, akin to Frank Zappa, Plastic People, etc. on JEGKREMBALETT.

AFTER CRYING

Gabor Egervari (flute, voice), Tamas Gorgenyi (lead vocals), Peter Pejtsik (cello, bass, synthesizer, lead vocals), Ferenc Torma (guitars, bass), Balazs Winkler (trumpet, keyboards, percussion) #

Complex progressive blending in classical elements.

and several more

AMADINDA

Zoltan Racz, Karoly Bojtos, Zoltan Vaczi & Zsolt Sarkany (percussion)

Impressive avant-garde percussion ensemble, with a penchant for John Cage and systemic works.

and over a dozen more

aPOLOK

Zsuzsa Pasztor (vocals), Istvan FenyFeher (vocals, synthesizer, trumpet, pipe, flute, accordion), S. Samuel Gecse (vocals, guitar, whistle, harmonica), Tibor Kozak (bass), Peter Olah (vocals), Gyorgy ZsirGosztonyi (vocals, percussion), Attila Gonczi (sax), Attila Barath (trombone), Agoston Kis (violin, flute)

Strange eccentric blend of RIO, new-wave and world musics.

ART REAKTOR

Miklos Mako (trumpet, vocals, percussion), Gabor Nemeth (drums, percussion), Duncan Shiels (vocals), Jozsef Szurcsik (harmonica, vocals, percussion), Janos Varga (guitar, guitar synthesizer)

Bizarre prog / pop / new-wave.

BARBARO

Zsoldos Tamas (bass), Herpai Sandor (drums), Cziranku Sandor (guitar), Parov Nikola (gadulkam, gajda, kanun, kaval, clarinet, saxophone, oud), Tzortzoglou Georgio (vocals, percussion) #

Highly inventive folk-rock.

Laszlo BENKO

Ex-Omega. Rhythmic synth.

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

BERGENDY

Istvan Bergendy (saxophones, clarinet), Peter Bergendy (saxophones, flute), Csaba Debreczeni (drums), Ferenc Demjen (vocals, bass), Sandor Hajdu (trumpet, trombone), Norbert Latzin (organ), Gyorgy Oroszlan (guitars) #

Pop / beat band formed by the Bergendy brothers, they dabbled a little with prog ideas in the early 70s before trying jazz fusion and then going back to pop. Here are their 70s albums only.

plus at least 5 more, loads of singles and compilations

BINDER

Karoly Binder (piano, harp, marimba), Laszlo Des (soprano saxophone, drum computer, gong), Ferenc Kormedi (viola), Tamas Toth (contrabass), Bela Zsoldos (drums, cymbals, tubular bells, marimba) #

Keyboard player Karoly Binder and band. Spacey jazz-fusion.

> DEBRECENI DZSESSZNAPOK '81

plus at least 12 more solos, collaborations, etc.

COLLAGE

Neo-prog band with 5 CDs 1990-95.

COLOR

Gyula Bokor (keyboards, vocals), Tibor Bokor (bass, vocals), Attila Bokor (drums, vocals), Emil Lamer (guitars), Laszlo Polya (cello, vocals) #

Soft symphonic rock with prog touches.

plus 3 split singles

CORVINA

Peter Fonyodil (drums, conga), Zsolt Makay (organ, synthesizer, vocals), Gabor Soltesz (guitar, flute, harmonica, vocals), Rezso Soltesz (bass, vocals), Ferenc Szigeti (guitar, vocals) #

Pop-rock in the early Omega / Locomotiv GT vein.

Miklos CSEMICZKY

Contemporary classical composer, also known in electronic music

> ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY YOUNG HUNGARIAN COMPOSERS

DEBSKI-VASVARI GROUP

Fusion somewhat akin to Egberto Gismonti / Jan Garbarek vein, except for the regional cultural elements.

DINAMIT

Antal Gabor Szucs (guitar), Gyula Vikidial (vocals), Gyula Papp (keyboards), Alajos Nemeth (bass), Gabor Nemeth (drums)

Omega inspired heavies.

Laszlo DUBROVAY

Contemporary composer working in the fields of experimental electronics, computer music and avant-garde classical.

> COMPUTER MUSIC

plus many classical releases

EAST

Istvan Kiraly (drums, percussion), Peter Moczan (bass), Geza Palvolgyi (keyboards), Janos Varga (guitar), Miklos Zareczky (vocals) #

Taking the mantle from Omega, with a complex progressive rock that also blended in Eloy, SBB, and Pink Floyd, East created two of the finest Hungarian prog albums rivalling many of the best of the Czechoslakian scene, with the only Hungarian competition being Solaris' debut. Excepting the excellent instrumental rock ballet score THE VICTIM the later releases pale as more conventional melodic rock.

Audion extract: Their debut JATEKOK, released in 1981, is a well crafted concept work, with good songs and excellent instrumental sections; like a mixture of SBB, Eloy, Omega (circa TIMEROBBER) and Anyone's Daughter. In fact, on this album they even surpass the standard held by the likes of Eloy at the time. HUSEG [FAITH] is similar in many ways, however, here the music is more symphonic and also slightly jazzy, with some similarities to Genesis and the Czech band Modry Efekt. The vocalist on both of these albums has a poetic style, somewhat like that of Omega's vocalist Janos Kobor. With a new vocalist they recorded RESEK A FALON [CRACKS IN THE WALL] in 1983, a more conventional rock style was adopted. Unfortunately, this vocalist isn't too hot (the best track being the instrumental Private Train), and it seems the band thought so too. The next album AZ ALDOZAT [THE VICTIM] is totally instrumental. Now, this is were East really come into their own, as this is a remarkable album, scored for a ballet - it's thematic and powerful, composed and performed with acute precision, occasionally resembling the Italian bands Goblin and Sensations Fix, and some of the best bits of Modry Efekt and Omega. Quality synthesized rock with solos galore. It seems that shortly after this the band virtually disbanded, as on their next album, 1986, only two old members remain, joined by a new vocalist and three session musicians. The style is more modern, with drum-computer and digital synths.

plus five 1992-2015 releases we haven't heard

EDDA MUVEK

Attila Pataky (vocals), Endre Csillag (guitar), Gabor Mirkovics (bass), Zsolt Gomori (drums) #

Omega inspired hard-rock band, only of marginal interest.

> 1,2,3... START

plus 12 more, loads of singles and compilations

Peter EOTVOS

Electronics and avant-garde composer who has also worked with Karlheinz Stockhausen.

> HUNGARIAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC

plus lots of classical releases and a few recent electronic ones we haven't heard

FARKASOK

High energy complex progressive concept album akin to Stromboli.

FORCE MAJEURE

Synth and prog in 80s Tangerine Dream / Eloy / Solaris vein.

GROUP 180

[Aka 180-AS CSOPORT] Contemporary ensemble specialising in minimalist and avant-garde works by the likes of Steve Reich, Frederic Rzewski, etc.

Laszlo HORTOBAGYI

He started as an ethnomusicologist, and worked with musicians from the middle-east. Following those experiences he went on to develop a unique and inventive synth/sampler based music that blends in lots of ethnic and mysterious elements. Hints of early Vangelis and Sven Grunberg can also be heard.

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

plus at least 15 more

Zoltan JENEY

Contemporary composer, best known to us for his releases of minimal electronics and sound experimentation...

KAMPEC DOLORES

Szinni (vocals, bass), Zoltan Szegvari (saxophone, vocals), Sandor Matrai (percussion, drums), Gabi Kenderesi (vocals, violins), Csaba Hajnoczy (guitar, vocals) #

Oddball new-wave, RIO, avant-folk, noise, etc.

KARTHAGO

Tamas Takats (vocals), Attila Gidofalvy (keyboards), Ferenc Szigeti (guitars), Miklos Kocsandi (drums), Zoltan Kiss (bass) #

Heavy prog band inspired by Omega.

> 1,2,3... START

KASZAKO

Laszlo Attila (guitar), Csanyi Zoltan (keyboards), Horvath Kornel (flute, percussion), Lattmann Bela (bass), Lakatos Geza (drums)

Jazz-rock with a Jazz Q or Impuls feel.

KFT

Andras Laar (guitar, violin, vocals), Tibor Bornai (synthesizer, piano, cello, vocals), Miklos II. Lengyelfi (basses, choir), Andras Marton (drums, choir), + Barna Orosz (choir), Gyorgy Szegedi (choir), Carmen Kollar (choir), Andrea Kocsis (choir)

[Aka Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag] Rock band.

Laszlo KIRALY

> ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY YOUNG HUNGARIAN COMPOSERS

KOLINDA

Peter Dabasi (vocals, guitars, tamboura, cithar), Ferenc Kis (vocals, violin, oboe), Ivan Lantos (vocals, bass, oboe, bagpipes, percussion), Agnes Zsigmondi (vocals, flute) #

Pioneering folk-fusion, blending lots of different cultures into a unique music that is most distinctive. They had to leave Hungary in the austere Eastern bloc 70s and found a temporary home in France where they recorded and released their finest two albums. Mixing Transylvanian folk with Celtic and other influences, adding rock and jazz elements and lots of prog invention, Kolinda were quite phenomenal for a while. They mellowed somewhat later, with only Peter Dabasi continuing on with a changing roster of new musicians. By the way, KOLINDA 6 takes into account albums 4 & 5 in collaboration with Makam.

Audion extract: Shunned by the Hungarian labels it seems, Kolinda had to go to France to record and release their first album. Drawing on other Eastern and ethnic musics as well as Transylvanian folk and a moderate touch of rock, their debut showed a most unique and talented band at work. By the time of their third album, strangely entitled 1514 Kolinda had come along in leaps and bounds, no longer really folk - but an innovative cross-culture concoction that doesn't really fit into any named category! When I first discovered Kolinda via this album I didn't know what to make of them, their innovation was so startling and fresh. Also, the first copy I found was on the German Antagon label, the second on Guinbarda - a Spanish label, so finding their origins took quite a bit of research. Apparently Kolinda are still around nowadays, but other albums are not easy to locate. However, they did manage to get at least one LP out in Hungary, together with the ethnic fusion band Makam: SZELSEND UTAN offered an even more progressive sound, with both more rock styling and much more Asian and Far Eastern elements. Makam have also made at least one LP alone: APPROACHES which has been likened to the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, though I fail to see the comparison. Makam offer a richly textured 'instrumental music combining Eastern and Western elements, and on the second side onto the realms of systems music.

KONTROLL CSOPORT

Arpad Hajnoczy (saxophone), Csaba Hajnoczy (guitar), Ivan Artner (bass), Janos Ujvari (tenor saxophone) #

Oddball mix of folk, ska, jazz and left field rock, a bit like Kampec Dolores.

KORAI OROM

Ethno-tribal psych in Ozric Tentacles / Dr. Didj vein.

KORAL

Ferenc Balazs (keyboards, vocals), Laszlo Fischer (guitars), Zsolt Scholler (bass), Peter Dorozsmai (drums)

Organ fronted progressive with Omega styling.

KORMORAN

Folk rock with lots of Balkan and unusual touches. These are the 2 we've had. They've done 29 more!

Gyorgy LIGETI

Contemporary classical and avant-garde composer, specialising in polyphony and radical use of sound textures.

AVENTURES-NOUVELLE AVENTURES / ATMOSPHÈRES / VOLUMNIA (LP: Wergo WER 60022) © 196?

and numerous others.

LOCOMOTIV GT

Gabor Presser (pianos, clavinet, organ, vocals), Janos Karacsony (guitars), Tamas Somlo (bass, saxes, mouth organ, vocals), Jozsef Laux (percussion), Anna Adamis (poems) #

Formed by two original Omega members in 1971. Their finest and most progressive is their second album RINGASD EL MAGAD followed by BUMMM! (which is half decent), but after that it's a steady move to mainstream pop-rock styles. Even by the time of MINDIG MAGSABBRA (bizarrely issued on Brain in Germany, and one of the poorest Brain 1000 releases) they'd become totally mainstream Anglo-American styled pop-funk. The 1980s albums, later compilations and huge singles discography are not covered here.

Hungarian Releases...

> KISTADION '80

plus 10 more albums, and loads more singles!

Collaborations...

Other Releases...

> HALLO, NR. 7

> HALLO, NR. 11

MAKAM

Laszlo Bencze (bass, percussion), Endre Juhasz (oboe), Zoltan Krulik (guitar, percussion), Peter Szalai (tabla, marimba), Szabolcs Szoke (gadulka, sarangi), Balazs Thurnay (kaval, marimba) #

Ethnic fusion and minimalist music band. They debuted in collaboration with the reformed Kolinda. Their proper debut album APPROACHES offered a new and original concoction full of inventive combinations. They became more traditional on later releases adding vocals.

MAKAM & KOLINDA

Peter Dabasi (mandolin, kaval, vocals), Endre Juhasz (oboe), Peter Koszegi (bass), Zoltan Krulik (guitar, rhythm instruments, vocals), Eszter Matolcsy (violin, kalimba, rhythm instruments, vocals), Szabolcs Szoke (gadulka, gusla)

Collaborative project by two folk / cross-culture bands.

MAKVIRAG

[The Poppy Flowers] Progressive Transylvanian folk ensemble.

Robert MANDEL

Hurdy Gurdy player. He went on to develop his own Electrotary instrument.

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

MANDEL QUARTET

Robert Mandel (hurdy gurdy, viol), Istvan Marta (percussion), Laszlo Jakobi (rebec, cello), Gabor Kallay (rebec, recorder)

Medieval folk meets contemporary music.

Istvan MARTA

[Aka Istvan MARTHA] Systems music and contemporary electronic composer/musician, whose album TAMAD A SZEL is a most unique blending of ethnic, art-rock and synth musics, slightly comparable to Art Zoyd. He has also composed for and worked with Group 180 and Amadinda. He is more recently known as a film soundtrack composer.

Audion extract: Pride of place of all his releases must go to TAMAD A SZEL - this very strange suite combines elements of so many disparate musics, it's a fascinating and mystical ride, from strange mystical voices and electronics onto fiery fusion, via electronic opera, systems music, and even further into boundless classical and cerebral realms. If you could imagine modern-day Art Zoyd collaborating with Steve Reich and a traditional Transylvanian folk band you'd probably come close to this!

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

MASFEL

Levente Lukacs (sax), Janos Hegedus (bass), Attila Bacsi (guitar), Tamas Kalocsai (drums)

Eccentric fusion, kinda instrumental funky Plastic People.

Tamas MIHALY

Lively classical synth by Omega guitarist.

MINI

Adam Torok (flute, vocals), Karoly Nemeth (keyboards), Alajos Nemeth (bass), Jeno Balogh (drums)

First documented on Hungarian TV in 1973, Mini had been taking in British rock and blues, especially the very early Jethro Tull as an influence. By the time of their debut LP they had developed a unique personal style blending in cultural elements and jazz-funk. All their albums mixed styles somewhat ranging from pop through inventive jazz-rock.

Gyorgy MOLNAR

Heavy and pretty bombastic solo from Omega guitarist.

MUZSIKAS

Transylvanian folk. On 90s albums Marta Sebestyen was generally given main billing with Muzsikas merely her backing band.

OMEGA

Janos Kobor (lead vocals, percussion), Laszlo Benko (organ, synthesizer, vocals), Tamas Mihaly (bass, vocals), Gyorgy Molnar (guitars), Ferenc Debreceni (drums, percussion) #

Originally a 1960s beat group, developing a progressive feel on TIZEZER LEPES. After that, the group split in two in 1971 (the others formed Locomotiv GT) and the later Omega style gelled with a pretty constant quartet blending rock with Moravian folk and classical influences, in a lyrical progressive, drawing in Pink Floyd and Genesis styles during the mid-70s. They are arguably the most famous prog band from Hungary.

Audion extract: ...stints through the Iron Curtain culminated in their record deal with Bacillus in Germany, starting with three anthology albums of re-recorded old compositions and English lyrics. Following this, they expanded their style to become (terrible cliche coming up!) a "symphonic prog- rock" band. Their most successful albums (most people will surely agree?) gained UK releases... THE HALL OF FLOATERS IN THE SKY was released in 1975, apart from being over-produced, with orchestrations by Christian Kolonovits (oh dear!), the compositions were of the type loved by devotees of Yes, Genesis, Nektar et al. Derivative, yes, though the inevitable influence of Hungarian culture gave them an edge on most bands of the genre. TIME ROBBER came out in 1977, and was far superior, with synths replacing the orchestrations, giving a more personal and clean-cut sound.

Hungarian Releases...

> KISTADION '80

plus many singles, more samplers and lots of more recent releases!

Other Releases...

> HALLO, NR. 6

> HALLO, NR. 7

> HALLO, NR. 9

> HALLO, NR. 12

plus more Bacillus singles, 4 samplers, and other releases!

PANDORA'S BOX

Sandor Bencsik (guitars), Istvan Cserhati (keyboards), Miklos Varga (vocals), Jozsef Safar (bass), Istvan Szabo (drums)

Heavy rock with Omega stylisms. They made 3 albums before splitting and then reformed ca 2002.

> 1,2,3... START

PANTA RHEI

Andras Szalay (guitars), Sandor Szalay (guitars), Kalman Matolcsy (keyboards), Andras Schmidt (drums)

Classical rock band. Pre: P.R. Computer.

IVAN PATACHICH

Inventive experimental electronics.

> HUNGARIAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC

PIRAMIS

Sandor Revesz (vocals), Janos Zavodi (guitars), Peter Gallai (keyboards, vocals, synthesizer), Lajos Som (bass), Miklos Koves (drums) #

Mainstream rock band, variably quoted as pop-rock, hard-rock and prog. They had some success outside Hungary.

Zoltan PONGRACZ

Contemporary avant-garde electronics.

> INSTITUUT VOOR SONOLOGIE VAN DE RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT TE UTRECHT STUDIO VOOR ELEKTRONISCHE MUZIEK (LP: Deutsche Grammophon 643 545) © 1970 - Zoltan Pongracz "Phonothese" plus works by Gottfried Michael Koenig and Rainer Riehn

> HUNGARIAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC

P.R. COMPUTER

Lively rhythmic and melodic synth produced by Omega's Janos Kobor.

Gabor PRESSER

Classical synth rock in the Patrick Moraz or Rick Wakeman vein by Locomotiv GT keyboardist.

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

PROFAN

Unusual high-tech folk-rock.

Akos ROZMANN

Electronic music composer who left Hungary to work at the Stockholm electronic music studios.

SATURNUS

Bela Szakcsi Lakatos (piano), Gyula Babos (guitar), Peter Dando (bass), Peter Gritz (drums) #

Keyboard lead jazz-rock with a touch of funk.

> DEBRECENI DZSESSZNAPOK '81

SENATOR

1980s hard rock.

SKORPIO

Karoly Frenreisz (bass, sax, vocals), Gabor Fekete (drums), Antal Gabor Szucs (guitars, vocals), Gyula Papp (organ) #

These started almost like clones of Omega three years earlier. Although, that said, the debut LP only really contains a couple of decent prog tracks, the best being the classical rock "Fantazia A "Rhapsody In Blue" Temaira". Generally though they were melodic hard-rockers bordering on bubblegum pop.

plus reformations, split / collaborations and loads of singles

SOLARIS

Istvan Cziglan (guitars, synthesizer, effects), Robert Erdesz (piano, organ, synthesizers), Laszlo Gomor (drums, percussion), Attila Kollar (flutes, synthesizer, vocals), Tamas Pocs (bass) #

Also known under the pop-rock guise Napoleon Boulevard (from which they make a living), the progressive alter-ego Solaris are amongst the most highly regarded 80s European progressives. Entirely instrumental featuring much use of flute, synths and guitars, they dazzle with complexity and dynamics, recalling Camel, Fermata and King Crimson simultaneously!

Audion extract: Now, anyone with a fetish for synthesized space-rock (i.e. Eloy, Pulsar, Hawkwind, Sensations Fix) should check these out. Their sole LP to date - THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES, recorded in 1984, is instrumental rock of a type not normally found in the Eastern Bloc. One particularly unique feature is the flautists style, reminiscent of Roland Richard (of Pulsar) and numerous Italian flautists from various seventies rock bands; very expressive and (to use an ancient cliche) cosmic. Side A features The Martian Chronicles I-VI, a very inventive suite, encompassing dynamic rock and atmospheric Jean-Michel Jarre like synth sections, with plenty of room for numerous guitar, flute and synth solos, plus some good choral work. Their use of recurring themes and strong flute presence resembles somewhat, that of Camel on THE SNOW GOOSE, although Solaris' brand of rock is far more forceful and dynamic. If the A side wasn't good enough, the B side is even better. These 6 concise compositions just go to show how exiting instrumental rock music can (and should) be - who needs vocals anyway? Try to imagine a cocktail of Camel, Eloy, S.F.F. and Novalis, and numerous other East Euro bands - you should then have an idea what this album is like!

and some more recent releases

SYRIUS

Miklos Orszaczky (bass, violin, vocals), Mihaly Raduly (sax, flute), Laszlo Pataki (keyboards), Zsolt Baronits (sax, vocals), Andras Veszelinov (drums) #

Formed in the early 1960s and established as a pop band for many years, they got involved in a cultural exchange and ended up in Australia where they recorded their debut LP, a progressive rock / fusion album inspired by 60s Chicago sound. It's not a bad one and quite unique for Hungary, whereas later releases reverted back to more what one expects from Hungarian 70s rock.

I've Been This Down Before / Concerto Part 11 (7", Australia: Spin EK-4463) © 197?

plus other collaboration singles

Ivan SZEKELY

Electronic music composer.

> ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY YOUNG HUNGARIAN COMPOSERS

Tamas SZEKERES

Instrumental prog / fusion and classical guitar from former East and Senator member.

and at least 10 more

Tibor SZEMZO

Inventive flautist and synthesist working in abstract and cosmic avant-garde realms on SNAPSHOT FROM THE ISLAND. He was a member of Group 180 and has released at least a dozen more albums since his debut as a conductor and musician, covering all sorts of styles from folk through to free jazz.

> LOOKING EAST - HUNGARY

Istvan SZIGETI

Atmospheric electronics and avant-garde.

Audion extract: Szigeti is credited on his LP as being an electronic music composer, although such a description is not really accurate. Using voices, synths and computer it's often towards the more atonal realms of Schulzian synth. Again, an unclassifiable and fascinating music.

> ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY YOUNG HUNGARIAN COMPOSERS

Adam TOROK ES BARATAI

Unusual high-tech jazz and folk fusion.

TOWERING INFERNO

Unusual cross-cultural project, featuring Chris Cutler and Hungarian folkies!

Tamas UNGVARY

Computer music and contemporary avant-garde composer.

> COMPUTER MUSIC

UZGIN UVER

Ethnic / cross-culture prog. We've only had their 1995 CD. They've released at least 6 more since.

Miklos VARGA BAND

Former member of the Hungarian hard rock band Pandora's Box. The EUROPA album is Omega influenced.

Mate VICTOR

Contemporary eklectronics and academic composer. He has also worked in other fields.

> HUNGARIAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC

> ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY YOUNG HUNGARIAN COMPOSERS

VIZONTO

Karoly Cserepes (synthesizers, recorders, vocals, percussion), Janos Hasur (violins, viola, jaw harp, vocals), Mihaly Huszar (voice, fujura, basses), Ferenc Kiss (voice, tamboura, recorder, violin, horn)

[In English: AQUARIUS] Folk-rock band, almost like Jethro Tull meets Kolinda and The Wurzles on ELECTRIC SHEPHERD.

V' MOTO-ROCK

Ferenc Demjen (vocals, bass), Sandor Herpai (drums, percussion), Istvan Lerch (vocals, keyboards), Janos Menyhart (guitar, vocals) #

Hard-rock and progressive mix.

VUJICSICS

Folk music with a touch of invention.

Andras WAHORN

Slightly RIO folk mix from a saxophonist who's worked in Urban Sax.

Various Artists

avant-garde electronics by Tamas Ungvary, Laszlo Dubrovay, etc.

live recordings by Binder, Saturnus, a.o.

experimental electronics by: Mate Victor, Istvan Szigeti, Ivan Szekely, Laszlo Kiraly (piano and electronics), Miklos Csemiczky.

rare electronic music album. Ilja Zeljenka (pioneering Hungarian electronics), Jozef Malovec (Hungarian electronics), Krzysztof Penderecki, etc.

avant-garde electronics by: Zoltan Pongracz, Peter Eotvos, Ivan Patachich, Mate Victor & Peter Winkler.

concert extracts by Omega, Locomotiv GT, and Beatrice.

good introduction to Hugarian synth and experimental electronics, featuring: Robert Erdesz / Istvan Cziglan (of Solaris), Laszlo Benko, Matyas Varkonyi (former keyboardist with the pop group General), Tibor Kocsak, Gabor Presser, Laszlo Hortobagyi, Tibor Szemzo, Robert Mandel, Steve Osso, Istvan Marta.

live recordings by: Edda Muvek, Karthago & Pandora's Box.

KAZAKHSTAN

East, off the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan and neighbouring Kyrgyzstan have a history that blends European and Oriental cultures (Turks and Mongols) and it is obvious in the music that comes from there. Actually Asia, not Europe, but included as part of the former USSR.

BOOMERANG

Yury Parfionov (trumpet), Victor Nikolayev (soprano/tenor saxes), Tahir Ibragimov (percussion), Farhad Ibragimov (bass, tabla), Konstantin Lee (guitar) #

Formed in Alma-Ata circa 1973 and led by drummer Tahir Ibragimov. Boomerang played spacey instrumental jazz-rock with strong ethnic influences, with long tracks, at the esoteric end of the Arsenal sound. High quality stuff, only marginally let-down on the second by some free jazz elements, and in contrast extremely original on MIRAGE due to the unique use of electronics.

DOS MUKASAN

Kyrgyz / Kazakhstan 'Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble', formed in Alma-Ata in 1967 by students of the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute. They sound like a much more traditional early Gunesh.

LATVIA

Baltic state with Scandinavian cultural connections, part of the USSR during the 20th Century. Capital: Riga.

ASPHALT

Igor Grigoriev (guitar), Andrei Soloviev (trumpet, bamboo flute), Dmitry Shumilov (bass), Mikhail Zhukov (drums)

Experimental jazz-fusion with a nod in the direction of the New York scene and also with a good bit of Miles Davis.

ZIGMARS LIEPINS & MARA ZALITE

Very over indulgent, but quite progressive stage production with lots of synths. Zigmars Liepins was from the Latvian band Opus.

LIVI

Guntars Mucenieks (keyboards, vocals), Janis Grodums (bass, vocals), Aivars Brize (vocals), Ainars Virga (guitar, vocals), Dainis Virga (drums, vocals) #

Bombastic symphonic-metal and progressive.

plus 5 more, a single and archive compilations

ROOF

Igor Grigoriev (guitar), Andrei Soloviev (winds), Mikhail Zhukov (drums)

Same band as Asphalt, minus the bassist! Like a high powered Last Exit or Lounge Lizards.

> DOCUMENT: NEW MUSIC FROM RUSSIA - THE 80'S

Skirmanto SASNAUSKO

Excellent Osjan-like opener moving on to free-jazz.

ZGA

Nick Sudnik (clarinet, sax, ring modulator, keyboards, iron objects, percussion, voice), Alexander Zhilin (bass, percussion, iron objects, voice), Vadim Petrenko (guitar, fiddlesticks, electroshaver, voice), Michail Judenich (drums, percussion, voice) #

Avant-Garde rock and sound collage. Often like a free-form Einsturzende Neubauten, Mnemonists or early AMM.

plus at least 10 more!

ZODIAC

Janis Lusens (piano, synthesizer), Aivars Gudrais (guitar), Dzintars Sagens (guitar), Ivars Pilka (bass), Andris Reinis (drums) #

[Aka ZODIAKS] Synthi rock with Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis influence.

LITHUANIA

Baltic state with Scandinavian cultural connections, prt of the USSR during the 20th Century. Capital: Vilnius.

ARGO

Giedrius Kuprevicius & Julius Vilnonis (keyboards), Linas Peciura (guitar), Arunas Mikuckis (drums), Arturas Kuznecovas (bass), Gintaras Kizevicius (vocals), Orunas Urbonas (sound projection) #

Electronic / synth fronted fusion band, formed by composer Giedrius Kuprevicius at the Kaunas Musical Theatre in 1979. As with many Soviet represses SVIESA came in a variety of generic covers, some billed as "Variety Music" with the title in Cyrillic: CBeT.

Vladimir TARASOV see Russian section.

ZENKLO GRUPE

Aigris Bulavas (violin, reeds), Gytis Gasperaitis (percussion), Gintautas Kazemekas (flute, percussion), Audrius Mickevicius (zither, acoustic guitar), Sarunas Miskinis (bass), Valdas Neimantas (acoustic guitar, reeds) #

Ethnic fusion, with hints of Stephan Micus, Kolinda, Osjan, Third Ear Band, etc. All instrumental, featuring zithers and percussion, and a very spacey and distinctly Eastern sounding feel. The band resurfaced again 15 years later as Zenklas X.

MACEDONIA

Former Yugoslavian state during the Eastern bloc years.

LEB I SOL

Vladimir Stefanoski (guitars, vocals), Nikola Dimusevski (keyboards), Bodan Arsovski (bass), Garabet Tavitijan (drums) #

Leb I Sol (meaning Bread And Salt) was a jazz-rock / fusion / prog / rock group founded in the mid 1970s in Skopje, Macedonia (ex-Yugoslavia). Initially a very inventive group with lots of progressive flashes, hints of Fermata and Scandinavian styles close to Pekka Pohjola and Jukka Tolonen. The 80s albums however gradually moved towards conventional rock styles.

> BOOM '77

plus 10 more albums and loads of compilations!

MOLDOVA

Former USSR state during the Eastern bloc years (aka Moldavia), landlocked between Romania and Ukraine.

Misha ALPERIN

Aka Mikhail Alperin. Jazz pianist, multi-instrumentalist. Featured with Arsenal, Trigon, and more recently with numerous ECM releases.

TRIGON

Anatolie Stefanet (viola, vocals), Alexandru Murzac (bass), Oleg Baltaga (drums), Mikhail Alperin (keyboards (1998))

Odd cross-culture mix of jazz, folk and classical. This is what happens when a jazz drummer gets together with a folk violinist and a classical guitarist - yes, the results are odd akin to DDR's Bayon or British 70s band Continuum.

and at least 6 more

POLAND

Surprisingly, Poland had quite an open record industry with a number of labels, some with their own specialised areas, like the eclectic jazz-specialist Poljazz, or the progressive label Savitor, and in contrast (catering for anything) the state-owned Muza label. With a healthy jazz scene and many notable progressive ground-breakers during the 70s, Poland eschewed a lot of astonishing music.

Since the Solidarity uprising in the 80s it's been difficult to find out much about what has been happening there, due to escalating inflation, and the change to a market economy, thus there's little to report on from recent years except releases from the oddly named Metal mind label.

ABC

Andrzej Nebeski (drums), Andrzej Mikolajczak (organ), Marek Mataczynski (bass), Zbigniew Karwacki (flute, alto/tenor saxes), Aleksander Michalski (tenor/baritone sax), Halina Frackowiak, Jerzy Koslowski & Wojciech Gassowski (vocals)

Bluesy rock with Halina Frackowiak.

> HALLO, NR. 2

plus many singles and compilations, etc.

ANAWA (& Marek GRECHUTA)

Marek Grechuta (vocals), Tadeusz Kozuch (violin), Jacek Ostaszewski (bass), Anna Wojotowicz (cello), Marek Jackowski (guitar), Zbigniew Paleta (violin), Eugeniusz Makowka (drums) #

Early progressive who sound like Skaldowie with classical and folk touches, pre-Ossian. Note: ANAWA from 1974 is without Marek Grechuta. At that time he recorded two solos: DROGA ZA WIDNOKRES and MAGIA OBLOKOW.

> HALLO, NR. 4

> HALLO, NR. 5

ANNALIST

Robert Srzednicki (vocal, guitar, keyboards), Krzysztof Wawrzak (bass, vocal), Artur Szolc (drums, percussion) #

Neo-prog with English vocals on their debut.

AYA R.L.

Igor Czerniawski (keyboards, drums, voice), Pawel Kukiz (voice, percussion), Jarek Lach (guitars, voice)

Electro-rock, new-wave/indie style, with Russian synthesist Igor Chernyavski.

Audion extract: The only remotely interesting "new-wave" band I've heard from Poland, they are indeed far more sensible and inventive than most, their music on their LP falls somewhere between Joy Division, Din A Testbild, D-A-F and traditional Polish songs. Their sound is clean, accessible, and they make good use of synth.

plus 4 more albums and 9 singles are known.

BANK

Krzysztof Krzyskow (percussion), Marek Bilinski (synthesizers, piano), Roman Iskrowicz (bass guitar), Miroslaw Gral (guitar), Piotr Iskrowicz (guitar), Miroslaw Bielawski (vocals) #

Hard-rock and blues progressive, featuring Marek Bilinski. It seems they soon split in the 80s, reforming circa 2000.

Marek BILINSKI

Former Bank keyboardist. His solo work is mostly dynamic rock structured synth music, comparable to Patrick Moraz or Michael Garrison.

Audion extract: Probably Poland's most famous synthesist, he's recorded a few albums, of which OGROD KROLA SWITU seems to be the easiest to come by. His style is Teutonic in the sense of: Rolf Trostel, Rudiger Lorenz, Bernd Scholl etc., rhythmic and tuneful, but for my liking a bit too indistinctive.

> INPUT OUTPUT

> SOFT MOODS FOR ROMANTIC SEQUENCES

> LOOKING EAST - POLAND

and many more

Augustyn BLOCH

Avant-garde, classical and contemporary composer. He was also an organist and dabbled with electronics, best-known to us for these experimental German library LP releases...

BREAKOUT

Tadeusz Nalepa (guitars, vocals), Mira Kubasinska (vocals), Michal Muzolf (bass), Jozef Hajdasz (drums), Wlodimierz Nahorny (sax, flute)

Legendary blues and psychedelic band. They started as the beat band Blackout in the mid 1960s (album BLACKOUT, LP: Pronit XL 0437 © 1967), changing to Breakout (sometimes credited as Breakout Blues Band) mixing blues, prog and psychedelic elements at the start, becoming more boogie rock later on.

> HALLO, NR. 9

> HALLO, NR. 10

> HALLO, NR. 11

plus assorted singles and samplers

Joanna BRUZDOWICZ

Contemporary classical composer who made the one experimental electronics album.

BUDKA SUFLERA

Krzysztof Cugowski (vocals), Romuald Lipko (bass, organ), Andrzej Ziolkowski (guitar), Tomasz Zeliszewski (percussion) #

Progressive blues-rock similar to Niemen in their early days, and adopting a straighter hard-rock style on later albums.

Audion extract: Their early albums were the best, especially CIEN WEILKIEJ GORY which featured Niemen as a guest synthesist, the music being slightly bluesy with some Jane similarity and a liberal dose of psychedelia. Their lead vocalist, Krzysztof Cugowski, sounded like a cross between Niemen and Roger Chapman (of Family). PRZECHODNIEM BYLEM MIEDZY WAMI... featured a more standard light-weight bluesy rock format, though vocally saturated by Cugowski does contain some nice instrumental sections. Some time after this Cugowski left the band, later releasing a rather drab rock album PODWOJNA TWARZ (Pronit SX 2118) with his new band Cross.

> ZAPRASZAMY DO TROJKI

and dozens more!

CZERWONE GITARY

Jerzy Skrzypczyk, Seweryn Krajewski, Bernard Dornowski #

[Aka RED GUITARS] Influential beat group.

> HALLO, NR. 1

> ZAPRASZAMY DO TROJKI

and loads more!

Ted & Maria DLUZEWSKI

Intriguing fusion, atmospheric music and instrumental rock by two Polish musicians living in Sweden.

Andrzej DOBROWOLSKI

Ukrainian born Polish contemporary avant-garde composer who also worked in electronic and tape composition.

Urszula DUDZIAK

Experimental jazz vocalist. Wife of Michal Urbaniak, she also features on most of his releases.

and many more

Andrzej DUTKEWICZ

Avant-garde composer.

DZAMBLE

Jerzy Horwath (piano, organ), Marian Pawlik (bass, guitar), Jerzy Bezucha (drums), Andrzej Zaucha (vocals)

Psychedelic rock fusion with strong folk influence. Similar to Skaldowie of the same era.

DZEM

Pawel Berger (pianos, organ), Aleksander Korecki (sax), Adam Otreba (guitar), Beno Otreba (bass), Krzysztof Przybylowicz (drums, percussion), Ryszard Riedel (vocals), Jerzy Styczynski (guitar)

Bluesy hard-rock with jazzy and late-70s Pink Floyd influence. We've only had this one.

plus 25 more and singles, etc.

ELECTRONIC DIVISION

Robert Usewicz, Krzysztof Janik

[Aka EL. DIVISION] Kraftwerkian synth-sequencer duo.

EXODUS

Andrzej Puczynski (guitars, bass, synthesizer, vocals), Wojciech Puczynski (bass, guitar), Pawel Birula (vocals, 12-string guitar), Zbigniew Fyk (drums, percussion, choir), Wladyslaw Komendarek (organ, synthesizers, clavinet, string ensemble, choir) #

Powerful classical-spiced progressive and hard-rock with Eloy and Yes influences.

Audion extract: On SUPERNOVA they often resemble West European bands like Eela Craig, P.F.M., Eloy etc., although with the Polish vocals they still retain their Eastern identity. They are sure to appeal to avid techno-rock buffs, and possibly to collectors of SBB related material.

plus other album tracks on singles & many samplers

EXTRA BALL

Jaroslaw Smietana (guitar), Wladyslaw Sendecki (pianos, synthesizer), Andrzej Olejniczak (tenor/soprano saxes), Jan Cichy (bass), Benedykt Radecki (percussion) #

A Polish fusion group, who mixed many influences.

Wlodek GULGOWSKI

Keyboard player better-known for his session work in Scandinavia with the likes of: Made In Sweden, Pop Workshop, Ralph Lundsten, etc.

Jan A.P. KACZMAREK > ORKIESTRA OSMEGIA DNIA

KAPITAN NEMO

Synthi new-wave and synth-rock, towards Kraftwerk, etc.

KLAN

Marek Alaszewski (guitar, vocals), Maciej Gluszkiewicz (piano, organ), Roman Pawelski (guitar, bass), Andrzej Poniatowski (percussion, vocals)

Distinctly Polish jazzy edged and classical rock blend with a dated psychedelic feel akin to Skaldowie. MROWISKO is amongst the finest Polish prog albums. It seems they reformed in 1992 and again more recently.

KOMBI

Slawomir Losowski (synthesizers, vocoder, string ensemble, clavinet, electric piano), Grzegorz Slawinski (vocals, guitar, guitar synthesizer), Waldemar Tkaczyk (basses), Jan Pluta (drums, percussion) #

Lively heavy rock with progressive aspirations. They've issued at least 2 more, plus singles.

Krzysztof KOMEDA

Polish jazz pianist, best-known for his scores to Roman Polanski films. His band was the springboard for many Polish jazz talents in the 1960s like: Zbigniew Namyslowski, Tomasz Stanko, Michal Urbaniak, Czeslaw Bartkowski, Janusz Muniak and others.

and many more

Wladyslaw KOMENDAREK

Synthesist with a fascination for rhythm machines. These are his first 3 known ones out of 20+.

> LOOKING EAST - POLAND

Wlodzimierz KOTONSKI

Contemporary avant-garde and electronic music composer.

Aela - Muzyka Elektroniczna (7": Muza Z-SN 0578) © 197?

KRAM

Andrzej Wilklisz (organ, piano, Moog, vocals), Wojciech Nowak (drums), Roman Konigsmann (bass, guitar, vocals), Ryszard Pokorski (guitar, vocals)

Obscure Polish mid-70s quirky pop/progressive. They also released a split single and a playable postcard!

KRZAK

Leszek Winder (guitars, vocals), Jerzy Kawalec (bass, guitar, synthesizers), Andrzej Ryszka (drums), Jan Bledowski (keyboards)

Blues and jazz-rock. Seems they've reformed at least twice and have 8 more albums plus singles.

Slawomir KULPOWICZ

Jazz pianist. He also made this unusual ethnic fusion album with the aid of Niemen.

KWARTET JORGI

Grzegorz Kawka (viola), Waldemar Rychly (guitars), Andrzej Trzeciak (cello), Maciej Rychly (pipes) #

Meditative ethnic and chamber music, a bit like Osjan.

and 4 more

LABORATORIUM

Janusz Grzywacz (pianos, synthesizers), Marek Stryszowski (vocals, sax, clarinet), Miercyslaw Gorka (drums, percussion), Maciej Gorski (bass), Waclaw Lozinski (flute, percussion)

Prolific jazz-rock band. A little Urbaniak like on the early ones, with more Weather Report influence later on.

MECH

Janusz Lakomiec (guitars), Robert Milewski (vocals, pianos), Magiej Januszko (vocals, bass), Andrej Dylewski (drums), Tomasz Szukalski (sax)

Heavy prog with 80s Eloy-like touches (based on their 80s albums). Circa 2000+ they reformed.

Audion extract: Similar to the above (Exodus), but heavier, On BLUFFMANIA they bear more than a passing resemblance to later Eloy, albeit more gutsy and less polished, there are some great tracks, but unfortunately some poorer ones too.

Janusz MUNIAK QUINTET

Janusz Muniak (tenor/soprano saxes), Jerzy Bezucha (drums, percussion), Marek Blizinski (guitar), Andrzej Dechnik (bass), Pawel Perlinski (pianos)

Inventive 70s fusion. Cool jazz in the Dave Brubeck "Take Five" vein on the album's opener. Janusz Muniak also played with: No To Co, Tomasz Stanko, Dzamble, Krzysztof Komeda, Extra Ball, etc.

Helmut NADOLSKI

Experimental jazz bassist (who worked with Niemen in 1972 on the classic VOL.1 LP). His MEDITATION is an unusual esoteric work, featuring Niemen (Moog) and Andrej Nowam (organ) with some spoken poetry in Polish.

N.AE. > NIEMEN / AEROLIT

Zbigniew NAMYSLOWSKI

Top Polish jazz musician (saxophone player and multi-instrumentalist). He also featured in the Swedish international jazz fusion project Pop Workshop.

> BRATISLAVSKE DZEZOVE DNI 77

and many others.

NIEMEN / AKWARELE

Late 1960s pop/beat/psych project of singer Czeslaw Niemen and band.

plus many singles

Czeslaw NIEMEN

Originally a successful 1960s pop singer, and then with Akwarele (see above), Niemen became a leading light in 70s Polish progressive rock and fusion scenes, acting as the inspiration for many talents, including the notorious proto SBB (as noted). His finest era is from 1972-76, with albums of excellent space-fusion, and even more radical, the Mellotron and synthesizer based masterstroke: KATHARSIS. Some of these are with his band Aerolit (aka N.AE = Niemen Aerolit on releases), see entry below. This discography includes original LPs (1969+) and first CD issues.

Audion extract: Niemen's early solo works, and those with his group Aerolit, drew heavily on Polish folk music, blues and jazz. His bands featured many top Polish musicians, including the three people who were to become SBB, and the aforementioned Michal Urbaniak. The best way to discover Niemen's "rock-song" style is on STRANGE IS THIS WORLD, or even better MOURNER'S RHAPSODY (both released in the UK by CBS) where the start of the experimental Niemen is felt, with some startling synth work on the lengthy title track. IDEE FIXE is generally acknowledged as his most successful rock album, much of it being instrumental. It's a double LP, so there's plenty of room for exploration with synth and Mellotron, and lots of Mahavishnu Orchestra type riffing. KATHARSIS finds Niemen on his own with his synths, Mellotron and other keyboards. It must be one of the earliest synth LP's from Eastern Europe, albeit a very unusual one. Niemen's vocals, a bit hard to come to grips with at times, here are more melancholic and accessible.

> NA SZKLE MALOWANE

> OLD ROCK MEETING

> LOOKING EAST - POLAND

and many singles!

NIEMEN / AEROLIT

Czeslaw Niemen (vocals, synthesizer, Mellotron), Slawomir Piwowar (guitar), Andrzej Nowak (pianos), Jacek Gazda (bass), Piotr Dziemski (drums) #

Often just noted as N.AE, this was Niemen's progressive rock fusion project of the mid 1970s. They recorded some of the finest albums in Polish rock. See above Czeslaw Niemen and Audion extract for more info.

NO TO CO

Piotr Janczerski (vocals), Jerzy Krzeminski (guitar, vocals), Jan Stefanek (organ, piano), Jerzy Rybinski (bass, vocals), Jerzy Grunwald (guitar, vocals), Aleksander Kawecki (drums), Bogdan Borkowski (guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals)

Historic 1960s/70s beat/pop/rock band.

plus at least 8 more and loads of singles

NURT

Aleksander Mrozek (guitars, vocals), Roman Runowicz (guitars, vocals), Kazimierz Cwynar (bass, vocals), Ryszard Sroka (drums)

Inspired by Cream, Led Zeppelin and Groundhogs.

OBYWATEL G.C.

Grzegorz Ciechowski (vocals, keyboards, flute), Krzysztof Scieranski (bass), Jan Borysewicz (guitar), Jose Torres (congas, percussion), Krzysztof Zawadzki (percussion), Pawel Scieranski (rhythm guitar), Janusz Skowron (clavinet, accordion, keyboards), Janusz Tytman (mandolin), Malgorzata Potocka (vocals)

Varied hard-rock and melodic prog.

and at least 5 more

OMNI

Marceli Latoszek (sequencers, synthesizers), Rafat Blazejewski (cello, synthesizers), Gerard Cowicki (noises)

Inventive cosmic and rhythmic synth group, with unusual touches, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream influences.

Audion extract: These are certainly the best synth act I've heard from Poland to date. OMNI displays the music of a unique synth trio, very inventive yet accessible. Undoubtedly influenced by Johannes Schmoelling period Tangerine Dream, they should go down really well with anyone into rhythmic, tuneful synth that doesn't cop-out to commercial mediocrity. The use of cello on certain tracks gives them a further personality, the occasional bit of "weirdness" and some great riffing sequencer/drum machine pieces make for an enjoyable, if not engaging album.

ORKIESTRA OSMEGO DNIA

Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (fidola, recorders, synthesizer, piano, vocals, percussion), Grzegorz Banaszak (guitars) #

[Aka ORCHESTRA OF THE 8TH DAY] Innovative cosmic ethnic music featuring zither player and multi-instrumentalist Jan A.P. Kaczmarek. Unique music beyond the realms of Osjan or Between.

Audion extract: a duo who also produce a brand of new-music by totally acoustic means. Jan Kaczmarek plays fiddle, flute, bowed dulcimer, glasses and percussion instruments, and is accompanied by Grzegorz Banaszak on acoustic guitar. It is strange that MUZYKA NA KONIEC was recorded in the USA for the Flying Fish label (who I know of as being a country cum blue-grass label), and even more surprising - it's quite exceptional! The sound this duo generates easily matches Stephan Micus at his best. Almost electronic sounding backings, created with wine glasses and bowed dulcimer, are present on many tracks. Grzegorz is a most talented guitarist, whereas most guitarists would play single notes, he plays clusters and arpeggios instead - very expressive and emotional. Jan is as adept on flute as he is on all the other instruments he plays, the flute is one of my favourite wind instruments, and for there to be so much exceptional flute playing on one LP is a rare treat.

OSSIAN or OSJAN

Jacek Ostaszewski (flute, percussion), Marek Jackowski (guitar), Tomasz Holuj (percussion) #

An all acoustic ethnic fusion band, Ossian were radical, inventive and often breathtakingly dynamic, almost like a cross between Third Ear Band and early Stephan Micus. They debuted on one side of a Jazz Club album (tracks: Wprowadzenie / Ksiega Deszczu (Fragmenty)) a split bizarrely coupled with Deep Purple on the other side. Ossian often played at jazz festivals despite the fact they were more folk meeting non-genre modern music more related to folk-rock improvisation. Another of their club releases also features Polish jazz legend Tomasz Stanko. Ossian later became Osjan, and in parallel some musicians also worked in the oddball pop band Voo Voo, and they reformed a number of times with one incarnation as the bigger ensemble Ya-Sou.

Audion extract: Formed by Greek ethnic musician Milos Kurtis, along with Jacek Ostaszewski (flute), Tomasz Holuj (percussion) and Zygmunt Kaczmarski (violin, percussion), Ossian set out to produce new-music solely with acoustic instruments - no electronics or electronic effects. Their debut LP is a very low-key and relaxing affair, a lengthy flute solo, some nice ethnic percussion, and a couple of doses of folky raga-rock with sitar to the fore. Comparisons with Between, Popol Vuh and Stephan Micus are inevitable, except it was to be quite a while yet before these Pole's would truly excel themselves. KSIEGA CHMUR also features Radoslaw Nowakowski (percussion, vocal) and a large choir. This is a much more experimental LP, with a slightly jazzy edge encroaching the music. Personally I'm not too keen on the continually gabbling voices on side 2, however it is a most challenging and inventive album. A couple of years later and Ossian changed name to Osjan. A new name (probably to stop confusion with the Irish band Ossian) and a new style. Again a quartet: Kurtis, Ostaszewski and Nowakowski being joined by guitarist Wojtek Waglewski. ROOTS is a most remarkable album, with great fragile beauty. Each side features one lengthy piece of music. On side 1, gentle understated guitar is joined by recorder played in a most fluent, warbly Style), hand percussives and jaw-harp, the music moves in waves as guitar, voice and flute move to the front, gradually gaining intensity until a breathtaking climax, after which we return to the opening theme to recuperate. Side 2 similarly proceeds through quiet and loud phases, however it is much more dynamic. The second section with its trundling percussion and wailing vocals, and the following "folk dance" recall Third Ear Band, whereas the quieter flute and guitar pieces are quite like Stephan Micus at his most emotive. An excellent album that goes to show that real "new age" is actually (in spirit) almost as old as the hills!

Krzysztof PENDERECKI

Leading Polish avant-garde composer of the 70s. Sometimes like Ligeti meets Xenakis and Henze head-on! He is probably best-known for the 3 pieces by him featured in the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" Utrenja (Excerpt) / The Awakening Of Jacob / De Natura Sonoris No. 2. Here are a few of possible interest...

> ELECTRONICKA HUDBA

PERFECT

Zbigniew Holdys (guitar, piano, vocals), Grzegorz Markowski (lead vocals), Ryszard Sygitowicz (guitar), Zdzislaw Zawadzki (bass guitar), Piotr Szkudelski (drums, percussion)

Accessible melodic-rock.

at least 20 albums, loads of singles, etc.

John PORTER / PORTER BAND

Leszek Chalimoniuk (drums), Kazimierz Cwynar (bass), Aleksander Mrozek (guitars), John Porter (guitars, vocals) #

Heavy blues and hard-rock, ex-Nurt.

and loads more

POZNAN PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

Avant-garde percussion ensemble.

QUIDAM

Emila Derkowska (vocals, cello, recorder), Ewa Smarzynska (flute, recorder), Zbyszek Florek (keyboards), Maciek Meller (guitar), Radek Scholl (bass), Rafal Jermakow (percussion) #

Neo-prog.

REPORTAZ

Andrzej Karpinski (percussion, vocals), Arnold Dabrowski (piano, synthesizer, vocals), Pawet Paluch (bassoon, xylophone), Piotr Takomy (bass) #

In the no man's land of adventurous fusion, betwixt Henry Cow and SBB, and somewhere else, constantly surprising and innovative.

Audion review: MUZIKA - As one of the most revolutionary of 1980s Polish bands, Reportaz had certainly proved themselves most innovative on their two LP releases. This cassette dates from 1987 and captures them in spontaneous live performance and improvisation, and thus captures the creative spark within their music without the construction or preconceptions of an LP. It certainly documents far more influence from the RIO school, hints of Henry Cow, The Muffins, Zamla along with jazzy and folky elements...

REZERWAT

Andrzej Adamiak (bass, vocals), Wiktor Daraszkiewicz (guitar), Mariusz Jeremus (guitar), Piotr Mikolajczyk (percussion), Zbigniew Nikodemski (keyboards) #

Unusual new-wave styled rock.

RSC

Andrzej Wisniowski (acoustic/electric guitars, vocals), Piotr Spychalski (piano, Moog, Farfisa), Zbigniew Dziala (vocals), Wieslaw Bawor (violin, vocals), Andrzej Szczypek (bass guitar), Wiktor Kucaj (Farfisa), Michal Kochmanski (percussion) #

Heavy classical rock. They reformed in 1997.

KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI AND HIS GROUP

Krzysztof Sadowski (organ, ring modulator, electric piano, percussion), Veselin Nikolov (soprano sax), Liliana Urbanska (flute, vocals, percussion), Wojciech Bruslik (bass), Zbigniew Kitlinski (drums), Andrzej Zielinski (congas), Tomasz Szukalski (soprano/tenor saxes), Winicjusz Chrost (guitars), Wojciech Morawski (drums), Bozena Bruszewska (percussion)

Inventive jazz-fusion in the typically Polish vein (cf. Michal Urbaniak), but with hints of Soft Machine or Ben styles, and lots of surprises like Bulgarian saxophonist Veselin Nikolov adding some middle-east folk culture. A great live album and one the finest Polish jazz fusion records. Organist Krzysztof Sadowski also had the Grupa Organowa Krzysztofa Sadowskiego "Krzysztof Sadowski Organ Group" which played funky/soul-spiced jazz with organ lead in the Jimmy Smith and (sometimes) Brian Auger vein.

SBB

Antymos Apostolis (guitar), Jozef Skrzek (bass, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Jerzy Piotrowski (percussion) #

The most revolutionary of Polish bands, SBB (In Polish: "Szukaj, Burz, Buduj", or: "Search, Break-up, and Build" in English) took rock, blues and jazz roots and fused them together in a unique manner that had all the energy of 60s acid rock. Beyond their earlier work together with Niemen, and often like a space-rock twist on the Mahavishnu Orchestra sound combined with the synth fusion of Manfred Mann Earth Band's SOLAR FIRE, SBB were one of the greatest, well 6 out of 10 releases 1974 to 1980 that is, and tons of live stuff from that era released in recent times. The band have reformed on a number of occasions since 1990, issuing 40 more CDs and 2 big box sets of mostly concert material, plus a few new albums.

Audion extract: Their debut LP documents their first gig, and presents SBB in three different ways: 1) A terrible blues song which opens the LP; 2) The style of fusion SBB were to follow, with typically Polish styled estranged songs; and 3) A rip-roaring freak-out of guitar, drums and bass, that is so unbelievably hot - sadly SBB were never able to repeat this. NOWY HORYZONT finds them in the studio, and is arguably their finest album. Lengthy tracks give a good excuse for plenty of expressiveness, with myriad's of guitar and synth solos, and a typically SBB "tunnel-drive" type riffing. Mahavishnu Orchestra got close to this on their BETWEEN NOTHINGNESS & ETERNITY, but never gained the emotional power of SBB at their best, as is demonstrated here. PAMIEC is more relaxed with added emphasis on vocals. One could say it is more cosmic and thoughtful, though there are still quite a few heavy sections here and there. ZE SLOWEM BIEGNE DO CIEBE and SBB (Supraphon) brought the SBB sound to an even more atmospheric level, with more synth and a more flowing song style. This fifth and the subsequent sixth LP, also called SBB (on Amiga), marked the start of their international success being Czechoslovakian and East German releases respectively. The "international" SBB were more accessible, and with the following two LP's, FOLLOW MY DREAM and WELCOME (both on Spiegelei), English vocals were used on both domestic and West German releases. MEMENTO FOR A BANAL TRYPTICH was to be their swan-song, it featured an additional member, Slawomir Piwowar (guitar, bass, keyboards), and was far more enjoyable than the previous three LP's. Quite different for SBB, there's some very prominent Pink Floyd similarity and a return to complex musical interplay of the early albums.

> ZAPRASZAMY DO TROJKI

and many more albums, archive releases, sets and different editions!

KRZYSZTOF SCIERANSKI

Varied jazz-rock, with Jerzy Piotrowski (SBB drummer).

plus at least 7 more albums

Zbigniew SEIFERT

Important jazz-fusion violinist. He died in 1978.

SIEKIERA

In later D-A-F meets Joy Division vein.

SKALDOWIE

Jerzy Tarsinski (guitars), Konrad Ratynski (bass, vocals), Jan Budziaszek (drums), Jacek Zielinski (violin, trumpet, percussion, lead vocals), Andrzej Zielinski (organ, piano, vocals), Joseph Gawrych (congas) #

In the 1960s these were borderline progressive rock/pop with a hint of The Moody Blues. During the early to mid 70s they ventured into classical rock realms making two classics amongst other more mainstream releases.

> HALLO, NR. 9

> HALLO, NR. 10

> HALLO, NR. 12

> HALLO, 1/74

> ZAPRASZAMY DO TROJKI

plus loads of singles!

Wojciech SKOWRONSKI / BLUES & ROCK

Blues rock singer/pianist and band.

Josef SKRZEK

Ex-Niemen and SBB front man, keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist, mostly making SBB styled albums, with diversions to more commercial realms, and (in contrast) on PODROZ W KRAINE WYOBRAZNI he dabbles with free-form electronics!

and many more!

Tomasz STANKO

Pioneering jazz trumpeter and experimentalist. He also worked with Michal Urbaniak and live with Ossian.

TOMASZ STANKO & ADAM MAKOWICZ UNIT (LP: JG-Records JG 034) 1975 © 197?

and many more!

STRING CONNECTION

Krzesimir Debski (violin, keyboards), Andrzej Olejniczak (tenor/soprano saxes, bass clarinet), Janusz Skowron (keyboards), Krzysztof Scieranski (bass), Krzysztof Przybylowicz (drums, percussion) #

Polish jazz fusion combo led by violinist Krzesimir Debski. They've released at least 11, of which we've had these two...

SUN SHIP

Wladyslaw Sendecki (piano, electric piano, synthesizers), Zbigniew Jaremko (soprano/tenor saxophones), Henryk Miskiewicz (soprano/alto saxophones), Witold Szczurek (bass, cello), Marek Stach (drums) #

Another jazz fusion group who took their name from a John Coltrane title.

Ryszard SYGITOWICZ

Guitarist from Perfect. His album BEZ GRAWITACJI is instrumental fusion in the Janne Schaffer vein.

Tomasz SZUKALSKI

Much travelled jazz saxophonist. He's best-known for work as co-leader in a few projects and in the bands of Zbigniew Namyslowski, Tomasz Stanko, Edward Vesala, etc. He also featured on a number of Josef Skrzek albums and a co-release with him called AMBITUS EXTENDED.

TEST

Wojciech Gassowski (vocals), Dariusz Kozakiewicz (guitars), Tadeusz Kloczewiak (bass), Henryk Tomala (drums)

Early 70s bluesy hard-rock and prog.

Michal URBANIAK

Urszula Dudziak (vocals, percussion), Michal Urbaniak (violin), Vojciech Karolak (organs), Czeslaw Bartkowski (drums), Adam Makowicz (electric piano, bass) #

Pioneering jazz saxophonist and violinist, whose various fusion bands usually feature the extraordinary vocalist Urszula Dudziak. Since leaving Poland he's lead a double life, making trendy funk-jazz (and worse) in the USA, and more experimental fusion when in Europe.

Audion extract (not quite correct, but left as-is): Michal seems to have started his career as a member of Niemen's backing band, though by the early 1970s he was already fronting his group Constellation. IN CONCERT displayed his most experimental side, kind of avant-jazz- fusion, very inventive. Michal shows himself to be a very talented violinist, and his wife a most inventive free-vocalist. Urszula doesn't sing as such, she moans, makes strange noises, growls along with tape and echo effects. She is reputed to have done a whole LP of this type of thing, though I am yet to experience it. For some reason, Michael and Urszula left Poland in the mid seventies, eventually moving to America via Germany. It was during his stint in Germany that, with his band Fusion, he produced his best albums. HERITAGE is Euro jazz-rock on a high level, with technical advancements: Michal also plays lyricon, Urszula plays electronic percussion and synths. Expression is the key, and Michal and Urszula certainly know how to express themselves musically.

and many more!

VOO VOO

Surprising uptempo rock/pop project from Osjan members.

plus 35 more!

Various Artists

synth music by: Marek Bilinski, Jean Dowgierd, Adrzej Korzynski, Andre Mikola, Zygmunt Szram.

synth selection, with: Marek Bilinski, Przemyslaw Goc, Wladyslaw-Gudonis Komendarek, Grzegorz Strozniak, Upstream (synth duo).

Halina Frackowiak, Jerzy Grunwald, Edward Hulewicz, Czeslaw Niemen, Maryla Rodowicz, Andrzej Rybinski, Andrzej I Jacek Zielinscy

Boguslaw Wyrobek, Helena Majdaniec, Ada Rusowicz, Wojciech Korda, Katarzyna Sobczyk, Michaj Burano, Halina Frackowiak, Wojciech Gassowski, Wojciech Skowronski, Breakout, Czeslaw Niemen

atmospheric synth themes by: Marek Bilinski, Jean Dowgierd, Z. Gorny, Andrzej Korzynski, S. Krajewski, A. Marko.

radio sessions, with unique: SBB, Budka Suflera, Skaldowie, Czerwone Gitary, etc.

ROMANIA

Despite the restrictions of just one state record label: Electrecord, and an extremely strict government, Romania has borne much in the way of revolutionary avant-garde music, and produced at least one high calibre progressive band: Phoenix. Nothing is known of the current musical climate in Romania.

Ana-Maria AVRAM

Innovative avant-garde composer. Most of her work has appeared on shared CDs with her husband Iancu Dumitrescu (see below).

Nicolae BRINDUS

Classical avant-garde and orchestral composer, it seems he normally did that sort of thing, yet he was also the creator of great dissonant sound wedges akin to Dumitrescu on this fascinating LP...

CELELALTE CUVINTE

Radu Manafu (guitar, violin), Marcel Breazu (bass, vocals), Leonte Iovan (drums), Callin Pop (guitar, flute, vocals), Ovidiu Rocu (guitar, vocals)

Folk inspired progressive meets metal in parts. A very odd mixture on their debut. They turned in pretty conventional prog metal by the time of their third album.

> FORMATI ROCK NR. 8

plus 7 more albums, etc.

COMPACT

Constantin Camarasan (guitar), Teofil Peter (bass, vocals), Aurel Vasilescu (drums), Paul Caucsi (guitar, vocals), Mircea Octavian (keyboards)

Hard-rock with prog touches, hints of Omega.

> FORMATI ROCK NR. 6

plus 6 more albums, singles, etc.

Iancu DUMITRESCU

Radical and innovative avant-gardist who specializes in abusing the tonalities of instruments. In doing so on many of his earlier releases he creates fascinating, yet abrasive and intense, electronic sounding music often created entirely by acoustic means. Later he went back to more conventional contemporary classical music. Most of his later releases are co-releases with his wife Ana-Maria Avram.

Audion review (Edition RZ feature): URSA MARE / AULODIE MIORTICA and MEDIUM II / COGITO - Iancu is Romanian, an extraordinary composer by anyone's standards, he's indeed out on a limb in his homeland. Each LP side features one lengthy work. Ursa Mare is exceptionally stunning and to say the least extraordinary. Performed by a small ensemble (violins, cellos, etc.) and expertly handled magnetic tape. This music oozes and flows, shimmers, glides and cascades in a most fascinating way. I often recall such works as Cluster circa '71, Organum at their most cosmic, yet this is far stranger and surreal. Aulodie Miortica features the same ensemble (this time using more percussion) with fascinating contrabassist Fernando Grub. This is a far more demanding work, weirder and more extreme, with Grillo's odd gratings, whirrs and clunks, and lots of well placed percussive attacks. There's not much music I like in this area of the avant-garde, but this certainly succeeds.

Avram / Dumitrescu split / hybrid releases

plus 20 more!

Adrian ENESCU

Dated instrumental rock with analogue synthesizer lead.

plus 7 more albums, etc.

FFN

Cristian Mandolciu (vocals, percussion), Gabriel Litvin (guitar, vocals), Silviu Olaru (bass), Doru Donciu (flute, vocals), Florin Dumitru (drums)

Aka: Formatia Fara Nume (Band Without Name), they were formed in Bucharest in 1971. They played a psych spiced beat and hard-rock mixture bridging from pop through to prog.

HOLOGRAF

Mihai Pocorschi (guitar, vocals), Sorin Ciobanu (guitar), Nikos Temistocle (bass), Edi Petrosel (drums), Gabriel Cotabita (vocals)

Quirky upbeat rock with synths.

plus at least 10 more and singles!

IRIS

Florin Ochescu & Ion Olteanu (guitars), Mihai Marti Popescu (bass), Ioan Dumitrescu (drums), Cristian Minculescu (vocals) #

Hard-rock band, formed in Bucharest in 1977.

plus at least 15 more and singles!

KRIPTON

Eugen Mihaescu (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Dragos Docan (bass, vocals), Nicolae Dinescu (drums), Cristian Sandu (guitar, vocals)

Mainstream prog, probably inspired by Omega, Olympic, etc.

plus at least 6 more we don't know!

MAGNETON

Borz Dorel (bass), Barany Sandor (guitar, vocals), Fodor Alexandru (drums), Antal Istvan (vocals, guitar)

In Omega vein with unusual vocalist.

METROCK

Marius Luca (guitars, vocals), Jozsef Balogh (guitars), Gabriel Nagy (bass, vocals), Laszlo Balazs (drums)

Blues and hard-rock with some progressive elements.

METROPOL

Bela Raduly (drums, vocals), Andras Orban (guitar, vocals), Laszlo Trifan (guitar, vocals), Attila Viranyi (bass, keyboards, vocals)

Hard-rock with progressive elements.

Costin MIEREANU

Contemporary composer and experimental musician, born 1943 in Bucharest. He started in film, and then got his first commission for an album in 1974, recording LUNA CINESE at Studi Ricordi in Milan, Italy. In 1977 Costin moved base to France working as a technician at Studio Ramses, Paris with Jean-Louis Rizet and Studio du Chesnay with Philippe Besombes, recording a number of more synthesizer/computer based albums, as well as works with saxophone player Daniel Kientzy. Later on he moved to more "conventional" contemporary composition.

MONDIAL

G. Litvin (guitar), G. Dragan (vocals), V. Gabrielescu (vocals), M. Dragan (keyboards), Filip Merca (bass), M. Cernea (drums)

Apparently excellent beat-psychedelia.

PHOENIX

Nicolae Covaci (guitars, flute, percussion, vocals), Mircea Baniciu (vocals, 12-string guitar, percussion), Josif Kappl (bass, violin, percussion, vocals), Costin Petrescu (drums), Valeriu Sepi (percussion) #

Romania's finest progressive. Their origins were as a 1960s beat group with folk influences, but in the 70s they'd moved on to creating a unique blend of hard-rock, native folk musics, with psychedelic touches and Omega-like arrangements. Actually the debut LP is often as powerful as High Tide or Elias Hulk, and the epic CANTOFABULE is a concept album full of surprises, and features synths to unique effect. They moved base to Germany in 1980 making albums under the Transsylvania-Phoenix, and there was also the split-off group Madhouse.

plus various reformation releases

PROGRESSIV TM

Harry Coradini (vocals), Ion Cristian (percussion, vocals), Ladislau Herdina (guitars, vocals), Florin Ochescu (guitars), Liviu Tudan (bass, piano, vocals) #

Progressive rock band with an unusual mixture of styles sometimes akin to Phoenix and with some Italian classical rock touches.

RIFF

Neo-progressive with Heavy Metal guitar styling.

plus 5 more unknown to us

SAVOY

Marian Nistor (guitar, vocals), George Mitrea (percussion, guitar, vocals), Nicolae Rotarescu (drums), Ionel Samoila (bass guitar), Ionel Orban (organ, piano, recorder, vocals) #

Unusual folky pop/psych/prog with lots of unusual cultural elements. The debut LP, which sounds more late 60s than 1975, has some interesting moments, an oddball quirkiness and notably some nice flute work. LIED CU FLUTURI seems to be their most prog one, as after that they descend to bubblegum pop and Eurovision type drivel!

and 12 more!

SEMNAL M

Iuliu Merca (guitar, vocals), Stefan Boldijar (bass, vocals), Chita Ciolac (keyboards), Solomon Francisc (drums) #

Folky rock with progressive elements.

plus 5 more unknown to us

SFINX

Dan Andrei Aldea (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Cormeliu Bibi Ionescu (bass), Nicolae Enache (keyboards), Mihai Cernea (drums) #

Established as a pop band in 1963, they were still quite poppy on their debut LP, but went more prog/symphonic later.

Catalin TIRCOLEA

Pan-pipe player, known on the international jazz scene.

plus many more unknown to us

Various Artists

inc. Phoenix, Mondial, Magic, Progresiv TM, Stereo, Experimental Quintet, etc.

inc. Depold, Azur, Catena, Amicii and other unknowns

inc. Basorelief, Iris, Constantin Tolea, Holograf and other unknowns

inc. Sfinx, Rosu Si Negru, Seminal M, Savoy, Cristal.

inc. Metrock, Redivivus, Dan Badulescu, Rodion G. A.

a side each: Compact and 2005.

inc. Barock, Hardton, Krypton, Prefix 990.

a side each: Celelalte Cuvinte (heavy folk rock) and Evolutiv (disco-rock).

a side each: Accent (instrumental prog) and Pro Musica.

a side each: Modul and Medusa.

a side each: Contrast and Timpuri Noi.

a side each: Autostop and Miorita.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

This section catalogues music from the former USSR states that have remained part of the current Russian Federation. During the days of the USSR, all records were published by the state run label Melodiya and, due to the questionable politics of much rock and new-music, very little of any interest was released before 1980. Yet, despite that, the wealth of revolutionary music from Russia, etc., is quite astonishing.

Now, with growing market economies, numerous small independent labels are starting to appear, and although much of what is being produced is trying to catch up with the punk era, there's also still an amazing amount of surprising music around!

ALEATORICA ORCHESTRA

Andrej Feofanov (guitar), Sergey Vasiliev (bass), Sergey Sopov (drums, percussion), Igor Sharankov (guitar, bass), Kirill Zinoviev (keyboards) #

From St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia. Original and highly inventive progressive fusion with lots of slick moves and surprises.

ALISA

Konstantin Kinchev (vocals, guitar), Petr Samoilov (guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals), Pavel Kondratenko (keyboards, backing vocals), Vyacheslav Zedery (bass, backing vocals), Mikhail Nedelov (drums), etc.

[Aka ALICE] From St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia. Also billed as "Alice" Group (Doctor Kinchev & Co.) on ENERGY. They played hard-rock, with symphonic and new-wave touches, or at least so on the two we had.

plus 30 more and loads of singles

ALJANS

Sergey Kalachev (bass), Igor Kistenev (drums), Konstantin Baranov (guitar, acoustic guitar), Konstantin Gavrilov (keyboards), Vova Missarzhevskii (percussion), Inna Zhelannaya (vocals), Igor Zhuravlev (vocals, guitar)

[Aka ALLIANCE] From Dolgoprudny, Moscow, Russia. Formed in 1982. Varied rock, new-wave and folk band. Named as their third, this was their only actual album (previous releases were a cassette, a live recording, and assorted various/split/collaborations)...

ALLEGRO

Nick Levinovsky (Moog, pianos), Vladimir Konovaltsev (tenor/soprano saxophones), Victor Dvoskin (bass), Victor Epaneshnikov (drums), Yuri Genbachev (drums, percussion) #

Nick Levinovsky's Jazz Ensemble. Acclaimed as the first Russian Jazz-fusion outfit. At the start they were sometimes in the Nucleus vein, with some Arsenal touches, and Nordic jazz flavours, whereas later they added synths as lead, mixing influences from Return To Forever and Weather Report on a cooler more tuneful level.

AQUARIUM

From St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia. Aka Akvarium. The albums that we encountered are their 7th and 8th out of some 50+ albums. These come across as the Russian Bonzo's on record, but they also did much more interesting stuff. Group leader Boris Grebenshikov has since gone solo. Experimentalist Sergey Kuryokhin was also an occasional member.

ARIEL

Valery Yarushin (bass guitar, harmonica), Sergey Sharikov (organ, clarinet), Rostyslav Hepp (piano, flute), Lev Gurov (rhythm guitar), Boris Kaplun (drums, violin), Sergey Antonov (lead guitar) #

With roots going back to circa 1970, Ariel came from Tchelyabinsk (east of the Ural mountains, so technically in Asia) and existed through to the 90s. The two 1980s albums we had by them were progressive rock with symphonic and light classical stylings, often akin to Stern Combo Meissen. In 1990 former leader of the band: Valery Yarushin left and formed the new group/project Ivanych.

ARKANGELSK

Vladimir Rezitsky (alto sax, percussion, voice), Vladimir Turov (piano, synth, percussion), Oleg Yudanov (drums, percussion), Nikolay Yudanov (percussion), Fyodor Bagretsov (guitar, percussion), Nikolai Klishin (bass, percussion) #

Experimental free-jazz ensemble that are totally crazy.

ARSENAL

Alexei Kozlov (soprano/alto saxes), Vitaly Rosenberg (guitar), Igor Saulsky (piano, organ), Anatoly Sizonov (trimpet), Vevgeny Pan (trumpet), Vadim Akhmetgareyev (trombone), Alexander Gorobetz (trombone), Valery Taushan (trombone), Victor Zaikin (bass), Vasily Izyumchenko (percussion), Stanislav Korostelev (percussion) #

Long established rock and jazz fusion band (formed circa 1973). In their early days close to Nucleus except for some Russian folk themes, and later with influences ranging from Tangerine Dream through to Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Mothers, Soft Machine, etc. They split in the early 90s with leader Alexei Kozlov going onto other projects, and reformed sometime prior to 2004.

Audion extract: ...heavily inspired by European Jazz-fusion: Michal Urbaniak, Colosseum, Nucleus, Jean-Luc Ponty are some influences I can detect in both these bands. Allegro are more traditional in approach, whereas Arsenal are far more inventive producing lengthy suites that mix in ethnic and spacious elements into the jazz and rock structures. Of the 2 LPs I've heard by them, CREATED WITH THEIR OWN HANDS is by far the best and well worth the attention of jazz-fusion buffs.

> JAZZ 78

> JAZZ 82

Artemiy ARTEMIEV

Son of Eduard Artemiev. Synthesizer musician and avantgardist. Owner of Electroshock label.

Eduard ARTEMIEV

Long established electronic music pioneer, contemporary composer and front man of his own group Boomerang (not to be confused with the jazz-rock band) he's a radical innovator on all fronts. He's best known internationally however for his soundtracks to Tarkovsky films.

Audion extract: You may be surprised that a synth music scene (if it can be called such) has existed in Russia since the late Seventies. Eduard Artemiev was one of the earliest, however he was also known before that for his unusual electro-acoustic soundtracks to films like Solaris and Stalker... One album, METAMORPHOSES is a collaboration along with V. Martynov and Yu. Bogdanov, circa 1980. This is a most unusual album, in that most of it is arrangements of classical works by Debussy, Monteverdi, etc, but totally unlike Tomita or Synergy, these arrangements (and unique compositions by the musicians) are very imaginative and unique in their approach. Artemiev has collaborated on numerous rock based albums with Bogdanov and his rock group. These albums are some of the most bizarre examples of progressive Soviet rock, mixing spacious synth and dynamic rock, with offbeat elements such as opera, pop ballads, anthems, etc.

> ANS SYNTHESIZER

> METAMORPHOSES

> MUSICAL OFFERING

> LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA & RUSSIA

and at least 18 more, mostly soundtracks, etc.

AUCTION

Leonid Fedorov (vocals, guitar), Oleg Garkusha (vocals), Vladimir Vesolkin (vocals), Victor Bondarik (bass guitar), Dima Ozerskiy (synthesizer, vocals), Nikolai Urbanov (saxophone), Boris Shaveynikov (drums)

[Aka AUKTSION] Satirical rock with an RIO type sound, often comparable to Debile Menthol, yet more schizophrenic.

and at least 12 more, plus singles, etc.

AUTOGRAPH

Alexander Sitkovetsky (guitar, vocals), Leonid Gutkin (bass), Leonid Makarevich (keyboards), Victor Mikhalin (percussion), Arthur Berkut (vocals) #

Progressive rock seemingly inspired by Hungarian bands like Omega or East, as well as Yes and Camel. Mostly instrumental on their debut LP, but best known as the Russian contribution to "Live Aid".

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

and at least 6 more, plus singles, etc.

Yuri BOGDANOV

Leader of Bumerang (studio music group) and collaborator with Eduard Artemiev. Also vocals with Alfred Schnittke and technical/studio work.

> METAMORPHOSES

Oleg BULOSHKIN

Composer/engineer.

> MUSICAL OFFERING

CADENCE

Hermann Lukianov (Flugelhorn, Trumpet), Nikolai Panov (Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute), Yuri Yurenkov (Alto Saxophone, Flute), Vadim Ahmetgareyev (Trombone, Tenor Horn, Percussion), Mikhail Okun (Piano), Alexander Veremiev (Double Bass), Stanislav Korostelev (Drums, Percussion) #

[Aka KADANS] "Moscow Chamber Jazz-Ensemble" a jazz "post bop" type fusion group. We had the first two.

Mikhail CHEKALIN

Radical and innovative synthesist/multi-instrumentalist whose early releases played safe accessible melodic and rhythmic synth music showing Kraftwerk influences, akin to instrumental Yello. Latterly, most notably with the "MARS" Gallery series, he's ventured onto and beyond the realms of recent Klaus Schulze or Peter Frohmader, with a uniquely crafted and fascinating music.

> LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA & RUSSIA

plus many more recent CDs and compilations

1. MEDITATIVE MUSIC FOR THE DECOMPOSED "ELECTRO-ORGAN" I (LP: Melodiya C90 31373 005) 1981-1982

2. MEDITATIVE MUSIC FOR PREPARED "ELECTRICORGAN" II (LP: Melodiya C90 31671 007) 1982

3. MEDITATIVE MUSIC FOR PREPARED "ELECTRICORGAN" III (LP: Melodiya C90 31673 001) 1981-1983

4. PRACTICAL MUSIC MAKING I (LP: Melodiya C90 31679 005) 1991

5. BETWEEN SPRING & AUTUMN BY STEALTH (LP: Melodiya C90 31675 006) 1986

6. PRACTICAL MUSIC MAKING II (LP: Melodiya C90 31677 000) 1984-1987

7. GREEN SYMPHONY (LP: Melodiya C90 31375 000) 1984-1988

8. BOARDER STATE (LP: Melodiya C90 31377 004) 1988

9. THE SYMPHONY - PHONOGRAM (LP: Melodiya C90 30665 005) 1989

10. INTRODUCTION INTO INTUITION (LP: Melodiya C90 31681 003) 1989

11. CONCERTO GROSSO - I (LP: Melodiya C90 30667 006) 1989

12. CONCERTO GROSSO - II (LP: Melodiya C90 30669 004) 1989

Vladimir CHEKASIN

Experimental jazz, ex-Ganelin Trio.

plus many more in various solo and group combinations

CHEKASIN & TARASOV

Radical off-the-wall jazz and noise, more extreme than their solos.

Igor CZERNIAWSKI

One time member of the Polish band AYA R.L., making unique synth music, inspired by 70s German styles.

> LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA AND RUSSIA

Edison DENISOV

Composer/engineer, mostly working in the contemporary classical field.

> MUSICAL OFFERING

DUSTAR

Marat Yuldybaev (tenor/sopranino saxophones), Ramil Medyarov (synthesizers), Alexander Sergeenko (bass guitar), Evgeny Chistyakov (drums), Yuri Shemagonov (piano, synthesizer)

Fusion band from Ufa, Bashkir ASSR fromed in 1978. They sound a bit like Arsenal, but with a Russian traditional/ethnic feel. They also recorded as the studio/backing band of Robert Gazizova and for various folk/tradional singers.

EMELYA

Heavy folk-rock, with hints of Jethro Tull and Horslips.

EPOS

Ethnic progressive, and strangely symphonic rock. Nine piece band from St. Petersburg.

FOLK OPERA

Natalia Silantieva (vocals, ocarina), Irena Brazgovka (vocals, ocarina), Nadejda Bazurov (vocals, ocarina), Irena Savelieva (vocals, ocarina), Elizabeth Korovkina (vocals, ocarina), Gennady Tkachenko (vocals), Vacheslav Fedorov (vocals, bass), Enver Feizullin (bass, vocals), Georgy Osmolovsky (rhythm computer, kosa, vocals, bass), Boris Bazurov (keyboards, vocals, rhythm computer, bass)

Their Cyrillic name transliterates as Narodnaya Opera. "Folk-Rock group under Boris Bazurov" to quote the front cover. These were an almost Celtic sounding folk-rock outfit, with a music fleshed-out by lots of chanting and ethnic instruments, sounding somewhat like a mixture of Gryphon and Alan Stivell. Boris has also fronted numerous other folk outfits and there's a second Folk Opera release called COSSACK STEPAN RAZIN (a 2CD from 1991) of which further info is elusive.

GANELIN TRIO

Vyacheslav Ganelin's celebrated free-jazz trio, with a radical and schizophrenic air. On the borderline of the scope of Audion really. Saxophonist Vladimir Chekasin and drummer Vladimir Tarasov have both also done much of interest elsewhere! Most Ganelin albums have also been issued on Melodiya as limited editions. Here's the first few...

plus at least 20 more!

Vyacheslav GANELIN

Relocating to Israel after defecting from Russia, Ganelin formed a new less-radical jazz group.

plus at least 15 more!

Alexander GRADSKY & "SKOMOROKHY" GROUP

Alexander Gradsky (vocals, synthesizer, guitar, piano, celeste, bells, percussion), Yuri Ivanov (bass, harmonica), Vladimir Yasilkov (percussion), Sergei Zenko (flute, pipe, sax)

Alexander Gradsky started as singer with the beat group Skomorokhi (The Jesters) in the 1960s, who had advanced to totally different music by the time of their 1980 debut LP, which is a really eccentric mix of folk/opera/classical and electronics. Out of his 20-+ albums to date, this is widely acclaimed as his most progressive and inventive release.

Boris GREBENSHIKOV

Ex-Aquarium guitarist attempted a Western pop career in 1991! None of his discography is really relevant here, except maybe this soundtrack album which is largely composed by him (6 of the tracks are composed by fellow Aquarium members Andrei Romanov and Alexander Titov) and features some of Aquarium's most adventurous works alongside Orchestras and Ancient Music Ensembles.

Sofia GUBAIDULINA

Composer/engineer. She was one of the few leading female pianists in the Soviet contemporary classical world and also worked in tape composition and electronic music, collaborating with Luigi Nono, Valentina Ponomareva, etc.

> MUSICAL OFFERING

HORIZONT

Sergey Kornilov (keyboards), Vladimir Lutoshkin (guitar, flute), Alexey Eremenko (bass), Valentin Sinitsin (drums), Andrey Krivilev (vocals, keyboards), Igor Pokrovsky (vocals), Yuri Beliakov (vocals), Sergey Alekseev (vocals) #

[Aka: GORIZONT, in English: HORIZON] Amongst the most fascinating of 80s progressives. Based around multi-keyboards and a very big sound, elements of Genesis, Collegium Musicum, Egg, SBB, and much more can be heard in their thoroughly inventive instrumental concoction. Generally melodic and dramatic, but also at times very experimental and even dissonant, Gorizont constantly surprise!

Audion extract (Boheme feature): Talking of instrumental prog, the Russian band Gorizont (aka Horizont, or Horizon) were one of the finest of all East Euro bands. Their influences lay in early Genesis and The Nice, and Czechoslovak bands like Modry Efekt and Collegium Musicum, though they seemed to see themselves as an RIO band! SUMMER IN TOWN is an extraordinary symphonic progressive full of obscure classical references, obscure instrumental concoctions and instrumental progressions that Genesis fans always dreamt of. There are some brilliant wordless vocal sections, complex angular diversions, weird keyboards, and all sorts of unexpected touches. With PORTRAIT OF A BOY they took all this further. This opens with the theme that I compared Gary Parra's Trap (ex-Cartoon) to, and is all the more experimental with lots of brilliant processed synths and keyboards, all in superbly arranged suites. At one point I thought there was something wrong with the turntable when I first played the record, and on the CD this weirdo Marian Varga type keyboard bit is all the more startling.

INTEGRAL

Russian pop-rock band, formed in 1967 in Ust-Kamenogorsk, eventually releasing their debut EP in 1980. The band had some success but broke up in 1989, after which founder/leader Barry Alibasov went on to other projects.

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

JAZZ-QUINTET OF THE SOLOISTS

Viktor "Arzu" Guseinov (trumpet), Alexey Zubov (tenor/soprano saxophones), Vagif Sadikhov (piano, keyboards), Igor Kantyukov (bass guitar), Simonovsky Alexander (drums, percussion)

One would expect the band to be called Barometer based on the cover of their sole LP, however I found the band leader Vagif Sadikhov's web site and it's definitely the album title! These are another of those Russian jazz ensembles inspired by British jazz fusion of the 60s, feeling a little like Nucleus.

JUNGLE

Igor Tikhomirov (bass guitar, synthesizer, percussion), Andrey Otryaskin (guitar, guitar synthesizer, vocals), Mark Bomshteyn (keyboards, piano), Pavel Litvinov (percussion), Nikolai Urbanov (saxophone)

Jazz fusion band formed in Leningrad in 1981. Very unusual ethnic fusion band, with lots of synthesizers.

Alexander KATENIN

Experimental progressive and synth-pop, artist playing the Farfisa Syntaccordion.

KOMBO

Margarita Timofeeva (guitar), E. Sotnikov (bass), A. Kolesnichenko (drums), A. Medvedev (keyboards)

[Aka COMBO] Slightly funky instrumental fusion (Chronosynclastic Group - to quote the cover) with a dazzling female guitarist.

Stanislav KREITCHI

Composer working at the Moscow Experimental Music Studio, along with Eduard Artemiev, etc.

Anatoli KULIKOV

Recordings as bassist with Arsenal and Quadro.

Sergey KURYOKHIN

Spearhead of the Russian 80s weird music movement with his ensemble "Pop Mechanics", who are well-known for their largely improvised free-rock and jazz concerts, where almost anything goes! He also works as a jazz pianist and experimental synthesist as well!

plus some 25+ other collaborative albums and projects

Igor LEN

Excellent spacious and highly original synth music. Comparable to best early Neuronium or Ildefonso Aguilar. He also made and electro/new-wave album together with one Victor Lukyanov called PO TVOIM SLEDAM / IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS in 1990.

ZDES... / HERE... (LP: Melodiya C60 28663 008) 1989

MAGNET

Vyacheslav Rukhlov (guitar), Alexander Larionov (guitar), German Smirnov (bass), Vladimir Gladkovich (percussion), Alexei Saveliev (keyboards), Karen Melik (keyboards, vocals), Sergei Lugansky (vocals)

Mix of bombastic rock, prog/metal and the unusual!

DIES IRAE (LP: Melodiya C90 28449 003) 1989

Vladimir MARTYNOV

Contemporary composer and electronic musician. Most of his LP/CD output is not relevant here.

> METAMORPHOSES

> LOOKING EAST - ESTONIA AND RUSSIA

MASHINA VREMENI

Andrey Makarevich (guitar), Alexander Zaitsev (keyboards), Alexander Kutikov (bass), Valeriy Efremov (drums) #

Originally a 60s Beatles clone, they moved towards a light progressive style in the 80s. Their name means Time Machine. According to some sources they are/were the "number one Russian rock band" and still recording today.

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

plus at least 20 more albums, singles, etc.

MEDEO

Light symphonic rock and fusion. Band led by one Vladimir Nazarov.

MODUS

Vladimir Ivanov (keyboards), Vladimir Volodin (drums, percussion), Valery Lyustrov (tenor saxophone), Alexander Malahowsky (electric guitar), Vladimir Filyakin (trumpet), Yury Mamaev (bass guitar)

American inspired jazz-rock, excepting some obvious Baltic/Scandinavian influences, interconnected with Arsenal.

MOZAIKA

Valeri Azhazha (keyboards, vocals), Sergei Vostokov (drums), Yaroslav Kessler (bass guitar, vocals), Yuri Malistov (lead vocals), Valeri Shmorhunov (guitar, vocals)

Progressive fusion turned rock band.

MOSCOW

David Tukhmanov (piano, synthesizers), Alexei Belov (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals), Nikolai Noskov (guitar, lead vocals), Dmitri Serebryakov (drums)

Curious prog-rock group fronted by special guest David Tukhmanov, with a heavy angular style.

Boris MURASHKIN

Fascinating and bizarre synths/electroacoustic and ethnic music on his debut. He also did a couple of new age "relaxation" albums.

MYTHES

Gennady Barihnovsky (vocals guitar), Anatoly Artyukh (guitar), Evgeny Petukhov (bass), Dmitry Makoviz (keyboards), Dmitry Filippov (drums)

Odd mix of boogie, rock 'n' roll, punky, indie, etc.

Sainko NAMTCHYLAK

Bizarre throat singer from Tuva, East Siberia, best-known for working in free jazz. She also tried other styles, later adopting just Sainko on international releases.

plus 30 more albums, guest appearances, etc.

NEW COLLECTION

Andrei Morgunoff (keyboards, programmer), Igor Kezlya (guitar, keyboards)

Kraftwerkian instrumental synth. They added female singer Lisa Surzhykova on their second.

ORLAN

Oleg Kireyev (keyboards, saxophone), Rustem Galiullin (trumpet, kubyz), Igor Suchkov (piano), Oleg Yangurov (basses), Rustem Karimov (drums, percussion), Rustem Galiullin (quray)

From Bashkir on the very edge of Eastern Europe and the Urals, Orlan were led by winds player Oleg Kireyev. The LP they issued is an esoteric and mystical fusion with subtle ethnic references and a hint of jazziness. Dreamy and richly arranged it is full of surprises.

Nikolai PARFENYUK

Singer and instrumentalist. Heavy handed rock.

Anatoly PERESELEGIN

Religious concept by Russian composer working in Israel.

PESNYARY

These started in 1969 doing Russian vocal renditions of Beatles hits. The 80s albums we had presented them as a prog-rock opera concept band, with large choirs, blending in folk, orchestrations, synthesizers, pop numbers, etc.

plus many singles and EPs

B. PETROV

A symphonic styled rock ballet score in the more esoteric In Spe vein, but more classical.

Valentina PONOMAREVA

A female vocalist of many talents. She started as a Gypsy singer, documented on *. Working with jazz and avant-garde musicians she has also created some incredible vocal based music, with a more refined style than Diamanda Galas, and not unlike Urszula Dudziak at her most experimental.

Audion extract: Probably the most revolutionary of all I Russian albums I'll discuss here is ISHUKENIE aka TEMPTATION by Valentina Ponomareva. Other people have hastened to compare her vocalizing with Diamanda Galas or even Urszula Dudziak, of which I'd agree partly with the latter. But Valentina is as individual in her wordless vocalizing as Birgit Grimstad or Tamia. Also, not unlike Tamia, she likes to work together with experimental jazz and folk musicians to create a multifaceted music with great dynamics, space and atmosphere. Excel lent stuff! Apparently, according to the cover notes on her new album TERRA INCOGNITA Valentina rose to popularity originally with her renditions of Russian gypsy music. Certainly, via involvement with experimental jazz musicians (she is featured on a number of Leo Records releases) her current music may well perplex many. TERRA INCOGNITA is film music featuring not only the many fascinating voices of Valentina, but also superb instrumental orchestrations and abstract percussives. With out a doubt, I'm sure that al I who loves Berio and Barberian's pioneering work will fine the side-long The Cat That Walked By Itself a fascinating and endearing experience. The second side is even more fascinating and bizarre!

and more unheard titles

POPULAR MECHANICS > Sergey KURYOKHIN

QUADRO

Vyacheslav Gorskiy (keyboards), Dmitry Chetvergov (guitar), Sergey Nikolaev (bass guitar), Eugene Maystrovsky (drums)

Jazz-rock band interconnected with Arsenal, and similar in style, although a touch funkier.

RATSKEVICH

Vladimir Ratskevich (guitar, voice, computer), Oleg Litvishko (sampler, keyboards, computer)

Avant-rock and electronic soundscapes, blending progressive and new-wave styles.

Andrey RODIONOV & Boris TIKHOMIROV

Kraftwerkian synth music.

Alexei RYBNIKOV

Strange synthesized rock opera. He has done several other albums unknown to us.

SAMKHA

Ariadna Koryagina (vocals), Yevgeny Zdanov (recorder, sax, percussion, vocals), Igor Kaim (banjo, guitar), Dmitry Borisov & Andrey Sizintsev (percussion)

Acoustic ethnic ensemble from St. Petersburg, with a style hinting at The Rain Garden, Aquabats, Oregon, etc.

Sergei SAMOILOV

An island unto itself in Russian music, EXTRATERRESTRIALS is a curious album that starts off as a piano solo, which fragments and becomes a most radical and strange synth excursion, beyond the realms of Peter Frohmader or Asmus Tietchens.

Alfred SCHNITTKE

Radical neo-classical composer known for his innumerable works of bleak orchestral music. He has also composed at least one excellent electronic work.

> MUSICAL OFFERING

SEPSIS

Aleksei Romanov (guitar), Alexander Berezkin (bass), Ivan Fedenko (drums)

Radical instrumental rock trio, with Captain Beefheart like rhythmic structures, flashes of RELAYER era Yes and the dynamics of King Crimson, lots of complex time changes and high-powered riffing. Inventive all through and quite unusual!

SEZON DOZHDEI

Maxim Pshenichny (guitar, bass, voice, synthesizers), Alexey Petrov (drums, wood block, glockenspiel, triangle)

[In English: RAINY SEASON] Atmospheric synth and guitar based progressive rock, often like a more subdued Gorizont, with hints of cosmic Tangerine Dream and a vague nod to The Enid on VOZVRASHENIE, with a touch more Scandinavian style fusion on the also excellent ALBOM TRAV.

Audion extract (Boheme feature): Sezon Dozhdei ("Rainy Season" in English) produced one the finest cosmic rock albums of the 1990s. Their VOZVRASHENIE is quite a masterpiece, especially considering that the band were only a duo (with guests) obviously recorded at a remote out-of-date old State studio! But the limits to what they could do were obviously part of the reason why Sezon Dozhdei were so original ... the folk and classical references are quite unlike anything else I've heard, and such cosmic/atmospheric use of a Yamaha DX100 is rare. Yes, with just three long tracks, it all adds up to a magical gem.

Alexander SHKURATOV

Messy synth and fusion.

Vasily SHUMOV

Another Russian attempt at the Kraftwerk style.

plus many more

Alexander SITKOVETSKY

Ex-Autograph guitarist with an instrumental rock fusion notably inspired by 80s Zappa.

STRANGE GAMES

Vitia Sologub (vocals, bass), Grysha Sologub (vocals, guitar), Alexander Kondraskin (drums), Nickolai Gusev (keyboards), Alexey Rahov (saxophone), Nickolai Kulikovski (keyboards), Alexander Davydov (guitar), Nickolai Olshavski (trombone) #

Offbeat satirical rock fusion.

Vladimir TARASOV

Russian born, from Archangelsk, although based in Lithuania since 1968. As a soloist his "Atto" series documents various aspects of experimentation with percussion (often with tapes and electronics) by the former Ganelin Trio member that is highly original, sometimes "almost like a hybrid of early Stomu Yamash'ta and Heldon" (referencing ATTO II and III).

plus loads of collaborative free-jazz releases

TRI-O

Alexander Alexandrov (2nd album onwards), Arkady Kirichenko, Arkady Shilkloper, Yuri Parfenov, Sergey Letov

Peculiar jazz trio. Mostly winds, yet often towards the RIO school, kind of like Manfred Schoof meeting with improvised Henry Cow. They feature three musicians also known with Embryo: Sascha Alexander Alexandrov (on NI HAU and many concerts over the years), Yuri Parfenov (on ONE NIGHT IN BARCELONA) and Sergey Letov (on 2000 LIVE VOL 1).

David TUKHMANOV

The state authorised aspect of Russian Soviet era rock music. We had 2 LPs by him that were all quite different. THE CREST... Odd mix of ballads, symphonic progressive and folk music. STEPS: Bizarre/eccentric electro and folk/avant/pop mixture.

plus at least 15 more, singles, compilations, etc.

Anatoli VAPIROV

Leningrad jazz saxophonist. His most engaging work (for jazz fusion fans that is) is his earlier albums with The Leningrad Jazz Ensemble and especially MYSTERIA, a very laid back and spacey album long opus of jazz-fusion in the early 70s Soft Machine type vein, with hints of Ben, Michal Urbaniak and Mile Davis. Nothing like Vapirov's later free-jazz experimentation.

and 30 more, plus bands/collaborations, etc.

VERMICELLI ORCHESTRA

Sergey Schurakov (accordion), Mikhail Ivanov (bass), Vitaly Semenov (drums), Nall Kadyrov (guitar), Oleg Shavunov (jamba, darabuka, tambourine, chimes), Natalia Sechkareva (flute), Nikolay Mokhov (flute), Maria Schurakov (mandolin), Vasily Popov (cello), Vsevolod (cello), Alexey Silutin (bassoon) #

Formed in 1996 by Sergei Schurakov and viriably described as "ethnic neo-baroque" or "ethno-art rock" ensemble. Aside from some obvious Russian cultural elements their music also hints at Alan Stivell, Gwendal, and all sorts of other Celtic folky styles.

and a few more recent ones

VEZHLIVYI OTKAZ

Roman Suslov (vocals, guitar), Dmitry Shumilov (bass guitar, accordion, grand piano), plus guests

[Aka POLITE REFUSAL] Very bizarre eccentric blues and jazz-rock.

and 8 more unknown to us, etc.

Yevgeni YEVTUSHENKO / Gleb MAY / Gruppa ARAKS

Rather strange kind of rock opera with lots of synths and bombastic rock touches, towards Eduard Artemiev.

VISIT

Igor Melnik (vocals), Michael Rybnikov (vocals, saxophone), Mikhail Timofeev (guitar), Alexander Sitnikov (bass guitar), Sergei Kiselev (drums), Victor Yanyushkin (leader)

In spite of an interesting cover, this goes to show how Russia came up with the most unlikely and disastrous concoctions. Eurovision type stuff, kinda MOR soul-pop meets Frankie Goes To Hollywood with jazz and metal flashes, mostly female vocals.

YAT-KHA

Albert Kuvezin (vocals, pecussion, etc,), Ivan Sokolovsky (keyboards, computer, cello, drums, etc.) #

Cross-culture band from Tuva, East Siberia, who blended indigenous folk styles and throat singing with modern western beats. They had some international success in the 1990s.

plus 8 more

Alexandra ZHURBIN & Yuriy DIMITRIN

A symphonic rock opera, which although often progressive is pretty heavy going.

ZVUKI MU

Peter Mamonov (vocals), Sasha Lipnitsky (bass), Lyosha Bortnichuk (guitar), Pasha Hotin (keyboards), Lyova Pavlov (percussion)

Strange experimental new-wave weirdo band.

and 15 more, plus singles, etc.

Various Artists

pioneering works with the unique ANS synthesizer: Eduard Artemiev, Stanislav Kreitchi, Alexander Nemtin, Sandor Kallos

jazz and avant-garde music collection, including: Arkangelsk, Vladimir Chekasin, Vyacheslav Ganelin, Valentina Ponomareva (and with Sofia Gubaidulina), Roof, Vladimir Tarasov, etc.

with rare Gunesh and Autograph tracks.

live material by: Cadence, Igor Yakushenko, Arsenal

live material by: Medeo, Kvarta, Mikhail Alperin, Rein Rannap, Ganelin Trio, Arsenal

studio recordings by award winning acts at the first Soviet rock festival, featuring: Mashina Vremeni, Autograph, Labyrinth, Integral (hard-rock), Magnetik Band, 75 (unusual jazzy rock), Gunesh, etc.

good guide to pioneering synthesists: Sven Grunberg, Lepo Sumera (Estonian contemporary composer), Erkki Sven Tuur (former leader of In Spe), Peeter Vahi, Eduard Artemiev, Mikhail Chekalin, Anton Batagov (classical pianist working with synthesizers), Igor Chernjavsky, Vladimir Martynov.

classical and original music performed on synthesizer by Eduard Artemiev, Yuri Bogdanov, and Vladimir Martynov.

essential album of pioneering electronic music from 1971 with the ANS synthesizer by Eduard Artemiev, Oleg Buloshkin, Edison Denisov, Sofia Gubaidulina, Alfred Schnittke.

SERBIA

Former Yugoslavian state during the Eastern bloc years. May also refer to Montenegro.

BIRDLAND

Predrag Bankovic (guitar), Dragan Marinkovic (bass), Boris Relja (piano), Beat Rauch (drums), Umil Bengi (percussion) #

Jazzy fusion band formed by Serbian students in Bern, Switzerland during the spring of 1978, who later returned to Yugoslavia. Through the course of three albums they moved away from jazz to a much more creative and unique fusion, ending up as a trio on the third album and with a music that bridged Brian Auger, Eberhard Weber and Gunesh.

CVECE

Mijo Babalj (vocals), Srecko Maksimovic (guitar), Kepa Stojanovic (drums, percussion), Chris Nicholls (keyboards ), Stenli Pavlovic (bass)

Varied rock group formed in Kragujevac by drummer Slobodan Stojanovic-Kepa (ex-Smak).

CVRCAK I MRAVI

Branko Prazic (vocals, rhythm guitar), Vojin Tisma (guitar), Aleksandar Prazic (bass, vocals), Dragan Davidovic (drums)

Band from Novi Sad formed in 1967. It seems they went along with the popular trends of the time and tried out some prog ideas along the way. The single B-side "Ptica" is one highlight, and on some tracks like "Seda I Stara" (from an online 1973-79 anthology) they come across as very DDR rock sounding with a Pink Floyd touch. Whereas on BOOM '77 they play a heavy rock band with boogie/blues roots reminiscent of bands like Free or Taste.

> POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA '74 - BOOM

> BOOM '77

plus more singles

DAG

Dragan Popovic (guitar, vocals), Aleksandar Milovanovic (guitar, vocals), Grujica Milovanovic (vocals, percussion)

Folk-rock a la Nick Drake, Moody Blues, CS&N, etc. Pioneers of the so-called "Belgrade acoustic scene" of the mid-70s. Known under various names like: Trio Dag, Grupa Dag, or simply Dag!

DAH

Zlatko Manojlovic (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Branko Gluscevic (bass), Velibor Bogdanovic (drums)

Hard-rock power trio, formed in Beograd in 1972, pre-Gordi.

> BOOM POP FEST '73

plus 6 singles, etc.

GALIJA

Nenad Milosavljevic (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), Goran Ljubisavljevic (guitar), Ljubodrag Vukadinovic (keyboards), Predrag Brankovic (bass), Boban Pavlovic (drums)

A really strange blending of folk, progressive rock and new-wave elements from Nis (Serbia). They moved to straight pop after these two.

plus at least 12 more, plus singles, etc.

GENERACIJA 5

Dragan Ilic (keyboards, backing vocals), Dragan Jovanovic (guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Dusan Petrovic (bass), Boban Dordevic (drums), Goran Milosevic (vocals)

Prog/rock band formed July 1977, with similarities to Hungarian bands like Omega or Koral and hard-rock styles.

plus 6 more albums, singles, etc.

GORDI

Zlatko Manojlovic (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Stevan Milutinovic (drums), Goran Manojlovic (guitars, vocals), Zdenko Pomper (bass)

Prog/hard-rock band formed in 1977. At the start they had an unusual style with jazz and folk touches. After that they dropped prog and fusion elements becoming acclaimed as the first heavy metal band from Yugoslavia.

plus 4 more albums,

GRUPA "I"

Dejan Kostic (guitar), Predrag Mijovic (guitar), Branko Kustrin (drums), Branko Kojic (bass), Branko Bogicevic (vocals)

Hard-rock formed January 1979. Their debut LP also had folky, progressive and new-wave touches.

IGRA STAKLENIH PERLI

Zoran Lakic (keyboards, vocals), Vojkan Rakic (guitar), Boba Trbojevic (bass), Peda Vukovic (percussion), Dragan Soc (drums) #

[In English: GAME OF GLASS PEARLS] Psychedelic space-rock with notable Pink Floyd, Can and Hawkwind influences, and a style all of their own! Igra Staklenih Perli trip to the outer reaches of the cosmos! One of the finest 20 bands in this discography!

Audion extract (Kalemegdan releases feature): Their origins start in 1976, initially a guitar and percussion duo, later augmented by a bassist. Even at their first live appearance in Belgrade (early 1977) psychedelic influences were evident, with use of theatrical costumes and elaborate light shows. An album was recorded but if it was released I'm not sure, the information I have is unclear. Some twenty odd concerts and 2 years later, recordings for the album SOFT EXPLOSION: LIVE were made, just released on cassette to document the concert. On vinyl it is surprising how good these recordings sound being transcribed from a humble cassette tape, and the music is quite extraordinary. Take one part of the very early spaced-out Hawkwind sound, add a touch of Ash Ra Tempel, add complex progressive arrangements, and space it out with an abundance of Irmin Schmidt style organ. And come to think of it, the version of Can's Mushroom sounds more like Pink Floyd. Credited as six tracks, but essentially one lengthy suite per side, acid-heads and space-rock fanatics are sure to go a bundle on this. Whilst the band had split and the music of Igra Staklenih Perli had become almost mythical, they had left many documents of their music, some of the finest of which has been collected on INNER FLOW. Here amidst the Hawkwind-like space-drifts is even more Floydian tripping, along with a concoction of echo guitars, scuttling percussives, rumbling bass, shimmering organ. Amidst many references I could quote are Gila, Virus, UFO (and their classic FLYING), Gong, and even the Ozric Tentacles come to mind at times. Igra Staklenih Perli however did have a unique visionary aura about them, in a mostly instrumental rock music with open ended riffing space drives awash with electric cosmic energy. Despite its variable recording quality, INNER FLOW is also a fine collection of trippy space sounds.

Djordje ILIJIN

Solo from Tako's keyboard player in the symphonic prog vein. The CD version is re-recordings.

KORNI GRUPA

Kornelije Kovac (keyboards, vocals), Zlatko Pejakovic (lead vocals), Josip Bocek (guitar, vocals), Bojan Hreljac (bass), Vladimir Furduj (drums), Dado Topic (vocals) #

Pre and post Kornelyans, formed in Beograd September 1968, and led by the keyboardist Kornelije Kovak. A varied heavy progressive who moved with the trends of the time.

> RANDEVU S MUZIKOM

and 20 singles!

KORNELYANS

Kornell Kovach (keyboards), Joseph Bocheck (guitar, vocals), Boyan Hrellac (bass), Vladimir Furduy (drums), Zlatko Peyakovich (vocals)

[Aka KORNI GRUPA] Kornelyans went to Italy to record one album, a complex classical and heavy progressive with strong arrangements and lots of keyboards, with a hint of early Deep Purple, and heavily inspired by the Italian scene, with hints of Osanna, New Trolls, etc.

Audion extract: Kornelyans (formerly Korni Groupa) went to neighbouring Italy to record their NOT AN ORDINARY LIFE which bordered both classical-rock and jazzy styles. I'm sure they tried to pander to Italian audiences (where it was also released) featuring lengthy tracks and complex instrumental passages with vocals in English.

Boris KOVAC

Medieval and folk musics blended cleverly with rock and jazz aesthetics. A unique meeting of cultures and styles that's fascinating! The early albums, especially the RITUAL NOVA releases are quite extraordinary, however he mellowed out somewhat later.

Audion extract: RITUAL NOVA (Points East) - Experimental music from Yugoslavia is certainly not commonplace, and neither are albums such as this! RITUAL NOVA 2 is in an area of music that has yet to be largely explored, a music that crosses traditional cultural musics with contemporary ones in a most stunning fashion. On the more accessible fringe of this genre are Stephan Micus, Osjan, Kolinda and others (all Central - Eastern European performers), whereas Boris, due to the very nature of his innovation is towards the largely unexplored more experimental end. The instruments themselves say much about the enchanting music of RITUAL NOVA 2: flute, clarinet, zither, percussion, female voice, cello and subtle inventive use of sampling keyboard all combine to create a "New Ritual" music most befitting the title. However, Boris' music stands apart from that of many of his contemporaries, in that his concoction of musics is most fresh and invigorating, and often not what you'd expect from the instruments. Excellent stuff!

and at least 9 more

Branislav "Lala" KOVACEV

Jazz drummer who left Serbia in the late 1960s, largely working in Germany for the next decade before returning to his homeland. He played alongside Fred Braceful in the final line-up of Wolfgang Dauner's Et Cetera, and also featured in the Michal Urbaniak Group, and in the Enja super-group project Islands along with Eberhard Weber and Sigi Schwab. Here are some of his most interesting Serbian releases...

Kornelije KOVAC

Ex-Kornelyans leader and keyboardist. The IZ DRUGOG FILMA album is film soundtracks.

plus 6 more & singles

Srdjan MARJANOVIC

Progressive rock and blues, featuring Yu Grupa as the backing band.

Boki MILOSEVIC

Serbian folk-jazz clarinetist and band leader.

and many more

OPUS

Dusan Prevelic (vocals), Slobodan Orlic (bass), Miodrag Mive Okrugic (organ, piano), etc.

Heavy keyboard oriented progressive rock band, formed in 1973 and featuring singer Dusan Prelevic (ex Korni Grupa).

POP MASINA

Zoran Bozinovic (guitars, vocals), Robert Nemecek (bass, vocals), Mihajlo Popovic (drums)

Heavy progressive with psych edges from Belgrade (Serbia).

PORODICNA MANUFAKTURA CRNOG HLEBA

Maja Da Rado (vocals, guitar), Jugoslav Vlahovic (mandolin), Slobodan Kuzmanovic (guitar), Petar Pavisic (bass), Branimir Malkoc (flute)

Belgrade folk-rockers.

Laza RISTOVSKI

Organ and synth music, ex-Smak.

and 10 more

Ljubomir SEDLAR

Guitarist backed by "Prijatelji" = friends! including 3 Kornelyans members. A lot of this resembles later SBB, Leb I Sol, etc.

SMAK

Zoran Milanovic (bass), Slobodan Stojanovic (drums, conga, gong), Radomir Mihajlovic-Tocak (guitars, vocals), Lazar Ristovski (organs, electric piano, synthesizers, Mellotron), Boris Arandelovic (vocals) #

Akin to the German band Karthago, but with folk and jazz-rock touches, their 70s albums all contain moments of invention. In fact the debut LP is rather good and acclaimed by many as one of the finest in Yugoslavian rock. After that LPs move to bland straight rock realms.

plus 8 more albums, loads of singles, compilations, etc.

SUNCOKRET

Nenad Bozic (guitars, vocals), Snezana Jandric (vocals), Bora Dordevic (guitars, vocals), Gorica Popovic (vocals), Miodrag-Bata Sokic (bass, piano, organ, vocals) #

Folk band formed in Belgrade circa 1975 by Bora Dordevic and Nenad Bozic along with 3 singers. Their album largely borders on easy listening, sounding almost Greek, and has very little that one could deem prog at all.

> BOOM '77

plus at least 8 singles

S VREMENA NA VREME

Asim Sarvan (vocals), Ljubomir Nimkovic (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Miomir Djukic (guitar, mandolin), Vojislav Djukic (guitar, mandolin)

Progressive folk-rock band formed 1972 in Beograd.

TAKO

Dusan Cucuz (bass, vocals), Djordje Ilijin (keyboards, flute, harmonica), Miroslav Dukic (guitar, vocals), Slobodan Felekatovic (drums) #

Mostly instrumental, late 70s progressive band with fusion and space-rock flashes, lots of guitars, keyboards and flute. Hints of Solaris, Camel, Pink Floyd and Focus. An amazing band that should have become world famous!

Audion extract: Tako, who existed for several years, from the late-70's through to the early-80's, released two LP's, and I originally discovered them via an original copy of U VRECI ZA SPAVANJE ("In the Sleeping Bags"). Not very well produced and not a great pressing either, but despite this the music came across as nothing less than magical! Just out on Kalemegdan Disk are reissues of both Tako albums, with glossy new gatefold covers and bonus tracks. These releases, I'm sure, are going to be welcomed by all progressive/space-rock/psychedelic fans. TAKO itself, their debut, offers a phenomenal blend of styles, with notable Pink Floyd, Camel and Focus influences, but with that Distinctive East Euro sound. Untypically, the album opens with a song (Tako were predominantly an instrumental band), a spacey progressive number comparable to Czech bands of the era like Modry Efekt or Progres 2. The second track Sinteza is much more typical of the Tako sound, a high-flying rock fusion with a spacey edge, somewhere beyond instrumental Gong and Focus, like a mixture of early Leb I Sol and Solaris. The albums' finest moment, however, is on the second side, the 16 minute opus Druga Strana Mene ("Second Side of Me"), a powerful space trek that uncannily opens sounding like Ozric Tentacles and then ventures on to an unusual blend of folk melodies, fusion and cosmic space-outs, with a multitude of flute and guitar solos, and ever surprising with lots of dramatic changes. U VRECI ZA SPAVANJE is a totally instrumental album, and offers a much more powerful listening experience. Very close to the style of Solaris' MARTIAN CHRONICLES, but with more guts and energy, and a more original blending of folk and ethnic elements, resulting in a music that twists and turns every which way. Such complexity and power can be quite arresting at times, as solo moves onto fiery riffs, dives this way then that, with guitars, synths and flute delivering spellbinding solo upon solo. Tako proved they were undoubtedly one of the finest bands of the era!

Istvan Kovac TICKMAYER

[aka Stevan TICKMAYER] Avant-Garde composer and sound explorer.

and various other guises/projects

VATRA

Zoran Brankovic (vocals), Srecko Maksimovic Ceci (guitar), Ljubinko Milosevic (drums), J. Stojanovic (bass)

Heavy progressive rock. Their enonymous track on Boom 1977 feels like an Italian Deep Purple.

> BOOM '77

Poljubices Me, Zar Ne / Iscupaj Mi Srce (7" EP: RTB S 51857) 1979

YU GRUPA

Dragan Jelic (guitar, vocals, synthesizer), Zika Jelic (bass), Ratislav Delmas (drums)

Heavy rock, acclaimed as the Serbian Groundhogs, with similar blues touches.

plus many more and loads of singles

ZEBRA

Rasa Djelmas (drums, percussion, ARP synthesizer), Bata Radovanovic (ARP synthesizer, yamaha CS 60, electric piano), Zoran Bartulovic (bass), Zeljko Nikolic (guitar)

Formed in Belgrade circa 1976, these started as a heavy boogie rock band with female vocals in the Tina Turner vein. By the time of their LP they'd moved on a lot, with a concept album somewhat akin to Buldozer as an odd polit-rock-circus, with prog and new-wave touches.

> BOOM '77

and three singles

SLOVAKIA

Former Czechoslovakian region during the Eastern bloc years.

BEZ LADU A SKLADU

Michal Kascak (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Martin Bed'ats (guitar), Rast'o Kubica (sax, vocals, percussion), Peter Kascak (bass, vocals, cello), Richard Rybnicek (drums, percussion) #

A mix of MCH Band, Debile Menthol, folk and punk

BLUES FIVE

Peter Lipa (vocals), Jaro Filip (piano), Dusan Hajek (drums), Rastislav Vacho (guitar), Fedor Letnan (bass)

Blues band featuring Collegium Musicum musicians.

Martin BURLAS

Contemporary composer working in a variety of fields.

COLLEGIUM MUSICUM

Marian Varga (organ, piano, synthesizer), Frantisek Griglak (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Fedor Freso (bass, bass mandolin, vocals), Dusan Hajek (drums) #

Arguably the most radical and innovative of Czechoslovakian bands, a pioneering classical-rock group fronted by the talented organist Marian Varga, breaking ground beyond the realms of The Nice or Egg, often bizarre and challenging, and with exceptional musicianship. One of Slovakia's finest.

Audion extract: Interconnected with M.Efekt at a later date (whose Fedor Freso joined on SVITANIE), Marian Varga's Collegium Musicum played a very different music. Arguably comparable to Egg or The Nice, they played a most innovative form of classical rock. Their debut re]ease, a 7" EP, was entitled Hommage A J.S. Bach - they obviously wanted people to know what they were at! This and their debut LP are very rare nowadays, sought after relics of the genre. Surprisingly the lyrics on their debut a were in English, Freso's voice recalling Tagliapietra of Le Orme, a slightly jazzy touch added too, hinting at Colosseum. For 1970 Czechoslovakia, Collegium Musicum were certainly radical, but no one could have forewarned of one the landmarks in progressive rock history, the second album, a double entitled KONVERGENCIE. In keeping with its title KONVERGENCIE brought a lot of different music together in four side-long (between 17'44" and 22'33") pieces, each a masterwork in its own right. P.F. 1 an unusually structured classical rock suite, dark and moody -with vocals by a female choir. A Thousand And One Night Suite was typical of Collegium Musicum's live sound - a great riffing one with Varga's chunky, often unlikely off-key, bizarre, organ playing. The Spinning Wheel Songs - odd combinations of Czech song, folk and rock; close to the songs on the first album, and by far the most conventional side here - but still not normal by means, especially the church organ hymn like feel. Back towards the Collegium Musicum live sound Euphony may start rocky enough, but disintegrates into a vivid extravaganza of Varga's uniquely bizarre fascinating manipulated organ. I'm sure most of know BLANE from the first Egg album, well this is even more inventive! Indeed a ground breaking internationally acclaimed masterwork. Those who delighted at the Collegium Musicum live sound were in for a treat with the next two releases: LIVE and MARIAN VARGA & COLLEGIUM MUSICUM. Despite the lack of a guitarist on LIVE, both these instrumental albums are superb classical rock combining the styles of sides 2 and 4 from KONVERGENCIE - superb! CONIUCTIO with the addition of two new guitarists (one also a vocalist), was more techno-progressive styled, and marked the first of a series of radical changes in the Collegium Musicum sound...

> HALLO, NR. 11

plus other more recent reformation releases, and a few compilations!

FERMATA

Frantisek Griglak (guitar), Tomas Berka (electric piano, synthesizer, organ), Anton Jaro (bass, percussion), Peter Szapu (drums, percussion) #

Instrumental progressive band, fronted by ex-Collegium Musicum guitarist Frantisek Griglak, with jazz and folk influences, hints of Mahavishnu Orchestra, SBB, Focus, etc. AD LIBITUM, which added vocals, was an unsuccessful excursion into Genesis realms. The recent incarnation features Griglak with a new young group.

Audion extract: Fermata, formed by ex-Collegium Musicum guitarist Frantisek Griglak, played a music on the crossover point between jazz-rock and progressive, akin to the mid-seventies M. Efekt. No doubt Griglak felt constrained by Varga's classical styling, and he couldn't have created a better music for showcasing his talents. FERMATA is a great instrumental album, full of energy and invention. Two more albums followed in a more symphonic vein: PIEZEN Z HOL / SONG FROM RIDGES was high-tech rock and jazz with traditional folk influence and lots of synths, HUASCARAN featured a plethora of synths in an ambitious rock opus, maybe towards the sound of instrumental Yes. In the following years Fermata split, reformed, split, and reformed again. The second incarnation recorded DUNAJSKA LEGENDA / THE DANUBIAN LEGEND which also featured ex-Collegium Musicum bassist Fedor Freso, surprisingly this was a jazzier, moodier progressive. The later Eighties incarnation were even more jazz-rock based except for the for the surprising vocal progressive Genesis styled AD LIBITUM.

plus other more recent reformation releases

GATTCH

L'udovit Ali Beladic (piano), Tomas Redey (guitar), Tony Lancaric (bass), Juraj Stefula (drums) #

Formed in 1969 in Nove Zamky by several students of Bratislava Conservatory. The band name is derived from the initials of the founding members nicknames. They started as beat, but soon developed a wide ranging and largely instrumental jazz-rock with classical elements too comparable to the British band Colosseum in some ways.

GRAVIS

Stefan Hegedus (guitar, synthesizer, bass, vocals), Gabriel Dusik (keyboards, vocals), Ladislav Szilvassy (drums, vocals), Jan Szabo (drums) #

Lively rock and prog in later Omega vein.

Pavol HAMMEL & PRUDY

Pavol Hammel (vocals, guitars), Marian Varga (piano, organ), Peter Saller (guitar), Fedor Freso (bass), Vlado Mally (drums)

Lightweight rock featuring Collegium Musicum members.

> HALLO, NR. 6

> HALLO, NR. 7

plus many more, numerous singles, EPs, samplers

Pavol HAMMEL & Marian VARGA

Marian Varga (organ, piano, subharchord), Pavol Hammel (guitar, vocals), Fedor Freso (bass, vocals), Dusan Hajek (drums), Rastislav Vacho (guitar)

Featuring all the original Collegium Musicum, this album presented a more accessible twist on the early Collegium Musicum sound. Very quaint and psychedelic styled.

HAMMEL-VARGA-HLADIK

Pavol Hammel (vocals, Spanish guitar), Marian Varga (organ, piano, synthesizer), Radim Hladik (guitars), Ivan Belak (bass), Dusan Hajek (drums), Pavel Kozma (drums), Peter Szapu (drums)

Prudy, Collegium Musicum and Modry Efekt leaders in collaboration with an off-beat folk-pop that combines many styles.

MODUS

Jan Lehotsky (keyboards, choir), Miroslav Zbirka (vocals, guitars), Marika Gombitova (choir), Ladislav Lucenic (bass, guitars, choir, percussion), Dusan Hajek (drums, percussion), Karel Witz (lead guitar), Martin Karvas (synthesizer), Jozef Hanak (harmonica) #

Mainstream rock band.

plus many more, numerous singles, etc.

Dezo URSINY

Dezo Ursiny (vocals, guitar), Jaroslav Filip (piano, organ, bells, tympani), Vladimir Kuhlanek (bass, choir), Jaroslav "Erno" Sedivy (drums)

Unique progressive rock and pop singer, often as lead with Provisorium and Burciak.

with Provisorium:

with Burciak:

and many more!

Marian VARGA

Collegium Musicum leader.

V.V. SYSTEM

70s big-band jazz fusion with obvious Zappa influence.

Various Artists

inc. Prazsky Big Band M. Svobodu, Rudolf Dasek, Gyorgy Szabados, etc.

inc. Zbigniew Namyslowski, Rudolf Dasek, Bohemia, Energit, Impuls, etc.

inc. Big Band M. Svobodu, Energit, SHQ, Fritz Pauer Trio, Crash, Jazz Cellula, etc.

inc. Sun Ship, Arsenal, Dusko Gojkovic, Jiri Stivin, Conrad Bauer, etc.

SLOVENIA

Former Yugoslavian state during the Eastern bloc years.

AUTOPSIA

Project formed by Radovan Milinkovic, who as an ex-pat moved based to London. They made industrial sampling music in the spirit of the best Laibach. Autopsia have since moved through many musical genres, and also moved base several times, first returning to Slovenia and then Prague, Czech Republic.

BEGNAGRAD

Bratko Bibic (accordeon, melodica, keyboards, voice), Bogo Pecnikar (clarinet, ocarina, voice), Nico De Gleria (basses, mandolin), Ales Rendla (drums, violin, congas), Boris Romih (percussion, guitars, voice) #

Radical jazz and folk fusion, with off-the-wall arrangements and great schizophrenic energy. Musicians later became involved in Quatebriga, and the Swiss band Nimal.

BOOMERANG

Zlatko Klun (drums), Danilo Kocijancic (guitar), Petar Veri Gorjup (guitar), Ladi Koradin (bass)

Band formed by former Kameleoni members as Bumerang circa 1971, from Koper, Slovenia. On their debut LP they played jazz-rock, with funky Santana and space-rock twists.

BULDOZER

Boris Bele (guitars, vocals), Uros Lovsin (guitars), Borut Cinc (keyboards), Stefan Jez (drums), Marko Brecelj (lead vocals), Veble Andrej (bass) #

Formed in early 1975 in Ljubljana, Slovenia (ex-Yugoslavia). An uncompromising and satirical rock group with moments of brilliance. Although they have a strong cultural identity, like Grobschnitt their humour is most profound, and they could be classed as the Yugoslav Mothers Of Invention or Floh De Cologne.

Audion extract: Most out-on-a-limb were the long-running political rock/satire/avant-cabaret band Buldozer! For arguments sake these could have been classed as the Yugoslavian Floh De Cologne or Mothers Of Invention: especially-on the bizarre ZIVI BILI PA VIDJELI. Indeed as satirists of great talent their messages get across despite language barriers. All three albums I've heard by them to date are fascinating and unique - probably the best being PLJUNI ISTINI U OCI from 1975.

and a few others that we've never encountered!

IZVIR

Marko Bitene (vocals), Frane Opeka (guitars), Davorim Petric (guitars), Andrej Koniajev (keyboards), Marian Lebor (bass), Andrej Petkovic (drums)

Slovenian mix of heavy rock and melodic progressive with hints of ELP and SBB.

JUTRO

Zoran Crnkovic (guitar, vocals), Lado Jaksa (sax), Jordan Gancev (piano, vocals), Miro Tomassini (bass), Pauge Ristic (drums)

Formed in Ljubljana, Slovenia, circa 1970. Jutro went through many style changes: boogie rock, classical rock (compared to Ekseption) and jazz-rock.

> BOOM - FESTIVAL 1973

Miha KRALJ

Unusual synthesist, with a penchant for chunky sounds and sequencers.

Borut KRZISNIK

Guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He's featured in various bands and collaborated with Laibach. His CURRENTS OF TIME is an avant rock, jazz and folk collage, and loosely improvised sound fabrics. A unique sonic excursion.

LAIBACH

Inventive industrial band, formed early 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia. They combined classical and native folk structures into their music, using much percussion and sound sampling, from unlistenable noise through to pop covers, and have made much of interest too. Here are the best from their vast discography.

and loads more (inc. quite a few cassettes)

MLADI LEVI

[1969-73] Jernej Podboj (saxophone), Tone Jansa (saxophone), Marko Misjak (trumpet), Petar Ugrin (trumpet, violin), Boris Sinigoj (trombone), Vasko Repinc (organ), Peter Hudobivnik (bass), Matjaz Deu (drums)

Beat, rock 'n' soul band formed November 1966, in Ljubljana. They'd advanced somewhat, based on the Boom festival to a freaky prog-fusion, in the classic M. Efekt, Jazz Q, Flamengo vein. However they split in 1973.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

OKO

Pavle Kavez (vocals, guitars), Franjo Martinac (bass), Tone Dimnik (drums)

Slovenian heavy rockers.

PREDMESTJE

Andrej Pompe (electric piano, Mellotron), Janez Hvale (drums), Aleksander Malahovsky (sax), Gabrijel Lah (bass), Peter Gruden (drums)

Ljubljana jazz-rockers formed in 1975. On HAZARD only Andrej Pompe remained as sole founding member joined by four former Izvir members.

QUATEBRIGA

Milko Lazar (soprano sax, synthesizer, percussion, vocals), David Jarh (trumpet, percussion, vocals), Igor Leonardi (guitar, percussion, vocals), Nino de Gleria (bass, percussion, vocals), Ales Rendla (drums, percussion, vocals) #

Ex-Begnagrad. A more trendy outfit, with much more rock energy, and a satirical approach akin to bands like Debile Menthol or Etron Fou.

SEDMINA

Varied folk group formed 1977 in Ljubljana, by singer/songwriter Veno Dolenc and his wife Melita.

Andrej SIFRER

Slovenian folk/jazz mixture.

and 6 more albums, plus singles unknown to us

SONCNA POT

Lado Jaksa (sax, clarinet, keyboards), Jordan Gancev (bass, keyboards), Ratko Divjak (drums)

A super-group trio consisting of the much travelled Lado Jaksa (previously with Predmestje, Sedmina, Buldozer, etc.), Jordan Gancev (of Jutro) and Ratko Divjak (from Time). They made just the one album, a refined and complex jazz-rock concoction similar to the Canterbury sound and some Krautrock fusion.

SRCE

Janez Boncina Benc (vocals, guitar), Karel Novak (bass), Marjan Malikovic (guitar), Pavle Ristic (drums), Braco Doblekar (congas, saxophone), Franci Celhar (organ)

Funky blues rock band of the early 1970s who recorded just the one single.

SRP

Primoz Simoncic (alto saxophone), Matjaz Sekne (viola), Ales Rendla (drums), Gregor Strnisa (piano, synth), Nino De Gleria (electric bass, contrabass), Gojmir Lesnjak (vocals, trumpet)

Eccentric left-field jazz-folk mixtures, at the more "trad" end of Begnegrad territory.

TURKMENISTAN

East, off the Caspian Sea, Turkmenia has a history that blends European and Oriental cultures (Turks and Mongols) and it is obvious in the music that comes from there. Arguably Asia, not Europe, but included as part of the former USSR.

FIRYUZA

Dimitri Sablin (piano, organ), Igor Gordeev (drums), Eugenyi Nochevnyi (guitar), Mikail Mamedov (guitar), Sabir Rizaev (sax, flute), Alec Nifchenko (bass), Hana Ten (violin)

A cross-culture, prog and jazz fusion band led by keyboard player Dimitri Sablin formed in 1979. Unusually they were soon able to record an album after winning a prize at the All-Union Competition Of Entertainers in Leningrad. Fascinating fusion, with a spacey edged and lots of ethnic elements, akin to Gunesh, with more esoteric Between, Zenklo Grupe or Ossian stylings blending with structures that remind of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Sadly they never got to make any further records, and Firyuza's sole album is now one of the rarest collectibles of Soviet rock.

GUNESH ENSEMBLE

Shamamed Byshimov (keyboards), Mikhail Loguntsov (guitar), Rishad Shafiev (percussion), Vladimir Belousov (bass), Alexander Stasukevich (trumpet), Shamil Kurmanov (trumpet), Stanislav Morosov (sax, flute), Ussif Aliev (trombone), Khajiriza Ezisov (vocals), Ilyaz Redzepov (vocals) #

The most famous band from Turkmenia, Gunesh were led by the highly original and energetic drummer Rafid Shafi (Rishad Shafiev). The group started life back in 1970 when the State TV and Radio Company of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic commissioned an instrumental/vocal ensemble. By 1977 they had become an independent band, developing a fusion style of great originality. At the Festival 'Spring Rhythms' in Tbilisi (1980) Shafi and Stanislav Morozov (saxophone) both won awards, enabling Gunesh to secure a record release. Apart from a hint of SBB, their blend of styles is totally originally, fusing Middle Eastern folk musics with brassy rock, sometimes with thunderous fusion riffing or esoteric space music, all adding up to a challenging and rewarding music. Apparently some 65 musicians have passed through the band.

Audion extract: Of all the rock acts so far uncovered, best and most unique are The Gunesh Ensemble. their LOOKING AT THE EARTH accumulates 14 years of experience, and it shows - a most fertile fusion of rock, jazz, Georgian, Balkan and other ethnic musics combine to make a special and most volatile concoction that is, almost certainly, unlike anything you'll have heard before. As an eleven-piece ensemble, led by a most talented keyboard player, with a thunderous drummer, a brass section, viola, guitar, bass and ethnic instruments, the musical tapestry is rich, dynamic, and very inspired: heavy fusion moves to ethnic mantra to offbeat folk with great ease and precision.

> LAUREATY FESTIVALYA "VESENNIYE RITMY, TBILISI-80"

UKRAINE

A large country, north of the Black Sea including Crimea. Independent from the USSR since 1991.

Kim BREITBURG & Vladimir LEVI

Varied symphonic prog and new-age.

DIALOGUE

Kim Breitburg (vocal, keyboards), Anatoly Deinega (drums), Victor Radiyevsky (bass, vocals), Victor Litvinenko (guitar, vocals) #

[Aka DAWN DIALOGUE] Rooted in Nikolaev (South-West Ukraine) and the 1969 band Korda who were led by Kim Breitburg, becoming Dialogue in 1978. In the early 80s Dialogue were a pioneering progressive, drawing influences from British and European groups, hints of Genesis, Omega, Yes, etc., but with a unique style of their own. Later they moved to mainstream neo-prog and pop rock.

Enver IZMAILOV

Jazz guitarist, born in Uzbekistan, but raised and resident of Crimea, Ukraine. Fusion with a Turkish like feel, and on MINARET Okay Temiz Oriental Wind similarities.

plus at least 9 more unknown to us.

Boguslaw SCHAEFFER

Ukrainian born composer who has largely worked in Poland. He has worked in all contemporary classical genres, but is best-known to us as a revolutionary electronics and electroacoustic composer, with a great sense of space and dynamics.

UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan is a Central Asian nation and former Soviet republic, landlocked north of Turkmenistan.

ANOR

Greg Pushen (bass guitar), Semen Mordukhai (alto/tenor/sopranino saxophones), Andrey Pertsev (drums, percussion), Adyur Yakubov (keyboards, synthesizers), Johan Binaminov (guitar, sitar, tabla, doira), Batir Tasxodjaev (gidzhak)

Anor = Pomegranate. The band are also listed as the Greg Pushen Contemporary Music Ensemble. Currently unknown to us apart from one promising track and a reputation as one of the classics of the Melodiya catalogue.

SADO

Vladimir Baramykov, Rashid Akuimov

Schizophrenic progressive and pop from Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

SATO

Leonid Atabekov (bass), Enver Izmailov (guitars), Narket Ramazanov (flute, soprano sax), Rizah Bekirov (keyboards), David Matatov (percussion), Andrey Atabekov (drums) #

Unusual fusion group who mixed traditional folk themes and jazz, sometimes akin to Boomerang and introspective ECM styles. The band was led by bassist Leonid Atabekov, and were the first recordings on the now well-known guitarist Enver Izmailov of the Black Sea Trio.

YALLA

This debut LP by the popular "vocal/instrumental ensemble" Yalla has some nice ethnic pieces with sitar and other traditional instruments, and some symphonic prog touches. It also hints at their later pop material!

YUGOSLAVIA

Culturally and politically fragmented, Yugoslavia's musical heritage was rich and varied, yet most of what has been released on record is very obscure. In Yugoslavia most of the record companies were owned by state Radio and TV stations, with one nation-wide state-run label: Jugoton. Former Yugoslavia is now split into its constituent countries, except those below.

ALARM

Powerdrive heavy Hendrixy progressive. Actual nationality unknown.

> BOOM - POP FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA 72

and many more

Various Artists

first progressive festival in Yugoslavia, with unique recordings by: Alarm, Grupa 777, Had, Indexi, Mlinarec/Kis/Domicelj, Mladi Levi, Nirvana, Ivica Percl, Grupa M. Skrgatica, Time

live festival document, featuring: Ave, Buco I Srdan, Dah, Grupa 220, Grupa 777, Jutro, Drago Mlinarec, Nirvana, Rock Express, Srce, Time, Yu Grupa

live festival document with: Bijelo Dugme, Bumerang, Cvrcak I Mravi, Tomaz Domicelj, Grupa 220, Hobo, Jutro, S Vremina Na Vreme, Ivica Percl, Proslo Vrijeme, 7 Svetlobnih Let, Sunce, Zenit, etc.

live festival document with: Cvrcak I Mravi, Had, Leb I Sol, Suncockret, Time, R. M. Tocak, Vatra, Yu Grupa, Zdenka Express

live festival document, with: Cvrcak I Mravi, Tomaz Domicelj, Had, Leb I Sol, Parni Valjak, Stakleno Zvono, Suncockret, Vatra, Zebra, Zmajevi Bosne

live recordings by: Korni Grupa, September, Drago

Thanks for reading this. Any mistakes? There's always some (like SRP entry previously said "Mainstream progressive rock" which was completely wrong). Let us know! Also, if you know of anything great that we've missed, then please share! utle2uk@btconnect.com

Notes from Latvian: Aldis Putelis, 8/4/2020

1) Describing LIVI you have listed their third "incarnation", while "Iedomu pilseta" was actually the product of the second. The first was more jazzy, but they could not have a record at that time - too incompatible with the political situation. Sadly, the third "incarnation" rolled downhill and ended up playing something like 'schlager' with guitars prominent. Too many tragic deaths among the personnel, so there is no hope they could get back to the right track, anyway.

2) Zodiaks started out as clear imitation of Space and Didier Marouani, the later band was centred around the same Janis Lusens, but with completely different music.

3) You have listed Zigmars Liepins and Mara Zalīte among the Russians - wrong. Liepins is a composer and keyboardist of Opus (Latvian band), Zalite - a Latvian poetess. "Lacplesis" is a rock opera with participation of practically all noteworthy performers of the time.

4) You have missed "Dzeltenie Pastnieki" completely. That's not prog rock, but clearly something that can be described with a word starting with psych... Should find and check.

5) If you list "Livi", "Perkons" deserves a similar mention. Rock, art rock, prog rock to new wave.

- these things were corrected, where needed, except I couldn't find anything remotely of interest by Dzeltenie Pastnieki or Perkons.