VISSZA A VÁROSBA

A Progressive/Jazz Rock band from Budapest,Hungary, Mini were formed and led by its only consistent member, vocalist/flutist Adam Torok in 1968.The band had a good live activity and was signed by the biggest Hungarian rock label,Pepita, but the numerous line-up changes did not help them to release a full-length work in their early years.By mid-70's though, Mini started gigging in East-Europe (Poland,Bulgaria,Czech Republic) and they had a more stable line-up with Karoly Nemeth on keyboards, Alajos Nemeth on bass and Jeno Balogh on drums.The quartet would record Mini's debut ''Vissza a városba'' in 1978.

Good funky Jazz-Fusion with progressive twists is the style met in Mini's debut with keyboards and flutes on the front.Most of the tracks include nice electric piano and synths with groovy bass lines and drums supporting, along with a fair amount of flute soloing by Adam Torok.Yet the album includes also a couple of more demanding tracks like the fantastic instrumental Space- Fusion-esque ''Körbe-körbe'' with its hypnotic rhythms and flutes or the complex ''Héja-tánc'' with the complex keyboard work.However the whole album contains plenty of interplays between the pianos,synths and flutes with some excellent solos throughout,while Torok's voice is also a plus, blended well with the overall style.

I have seen around the net the band to be compared with Jethro Tull (propably due to the heavy use of flute),but that's very far from reality.''Vissza a városba'' is a good mix of energetic Jazz- Fusion with the Progressive Rock principles,good enough to be recommended to a wider audience than simply to Jazz-Rock lovers.Another East-European Jazz-Rock lost pearl,which deserves some more promotion.

I'm sure that quite a few fans of Mini have already written something similar, but here comes my "review": I have loved this album since my teenage years. I've seen this band on their August 20th Constitution Day free concerts at the Taban (on the slopes of Gellert Mountain, overlooking the Buda Castle). Unfortunately, I never owned this album but my best friend did, so I had plenty of opportunity to listen to these marvelous songs. Now, some 30 years later, I finally have this album in full, thanks to iTunes ! It's still a fantastic album! Now I'm trying to get my kids hooked on the lovely melodies and catchy rhythms...

It is a crying shame that the flute isn't used more often in rock music. It does sound beautiful and, strangely enough, powerful - which is not what you would expect from such a tiny and slim instrument.

Biztosra veszem, hogy mar rengeteg Mini rajongo irt hasonlokat, de azert megis, ime az en kis osszefoglalom: Mindig is imadtam ezt a lemezt, egeszen tizeneves korom ota. Tobbszor is lattam eloben Torok Adam bandajat az augusztus 20-i tabani koncertjeiket, sajnos azonban sohasem volt meg nekem ez a lemez. De, hal' istennek, a legjobb haveromnak megvolt ket lemezuk is, igy szinte barmikor meghallgathattam ezeket a ragyogo notakat. Most, harminc esztendovel kesobb, vegre- valahara tulajdonomba kerult ez az album, az iTunes-nak jovoltabol. Meg mindig gyonyoru ez a lemez! Most megprobalom a sajat kolykeimmel megszerettetni a csodas dallamokat es az izgalmas ritmusokat...

Szomoru, hogy a fuvolat nem hasznaljak gyakrabban a rock zeneben, hiszen olyan szep hangja van es, fura modon, olyan eroteljes, izmos egy hangszer - bar latszatra nem az.