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PROGRES 2

Eclectic Prog • Czech Republic


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Progres 2 biography
Formed 1968 as "The Progress Organization" (renamed in 1978) in Brno, Czech Republic - Still active as of 2017

The roots of PROGRES 2 can be found in 1968, when Pavel Váně and Zdeněk Kluka founded PROGRESS ORGANISATION. The band released their debut "Barnodaj" in 1971: it was praised by Chzech critics as the album of the year. During the seventies. Czechoslovakia was facing political stormings; however the band took a name after their debut, BARNODAJ and managed to release their second, conceptual album (based on Kipling's "Jungle Book", called "Barnodaj - Mauglí", which gained considerable success as well.

The two founding members, Pavel Váně (guitar, vocals) and Zdeněk Kluka (drums, vocals) were accompanied with Jan Sochor (keyboards, vocals) and Emanuel Sideridis (bass). Pavel Pelc replaced Sideridis during the BARNODAJ line-up.



From the official website:
In 1978 the group went through a reorganization and under the new name PROGRES 2 put together a completely new stage program "Dialog s vesmírem" ("Dialogue with the Universe") with Pavel Váně as a main singing actor. On this project that went down the Czech music history as the first Czech rock opera, the group collaborated with renowned Brno's actors and artists. The album from this experimental project became the bestseller of the eighties. The controversial topic of this project, emigration, became a source of many problems with the ruling Communist Party.

At this stage, when final PROGRES 2 saw light of the day, Daniel Forró (synthesizers) replaced Jan Sochor, and Milos Morávek (guitars) also joined.

During the eightes, up to the present day the band changed its line-up several times. On their next album, "Třetí kniha dzunglí" ("Third Jungle Book") ,a new vocalist was introduced: a gifted Roman Dragoun, although he was there only during the short period. Further changes happened during "Mozek" ("Brain") in 1984 and "Změna!" "Shift!" in 1988.

The band is still active, they released a CD with self-explanatory title "Dialog s vesmírem - live" in 2006.

According to allmusic.com, these are all the band members up to present day:
Zdeněk Kluka (drums, vocals), Pavel Váně (guitar, vocals, 1968-81, 1992-present), Jan Sochor (keyboards, 1968-77), Emanuel Sideridis (bass, 1968-77), Pavel Pelc (bass, synthesizer, vocals, 1976-87, 1992-present), Milos Morávek (guitar, vocals, 1977-83), K...
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PROGRES 2 Videos (YouTube and more)


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PROGRES 2 discography


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PROGRES 2 top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.11 | 19 ratings
The Progress Organization: Barnodaj
1971
3.30 | 26 ratings
Barnodaj: Mauglí
1978
4.13 | 89 ratings
Dialog S Vesmírem
1980
3.48 | 33 ratings
Třetí Kniha Dzunglí
1982
3.51 | 26 ratings
Mozek
1984
2.45 | 20 ratings
Změna !
1987

PROGRES 2 Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.97 | 11 ratings
Dialog s vesmírem (live)
1993

PROGRES 2 Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

PROGRES 2 Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.91 | 3 ratings
Progres Story 1968-2008
2008

PROGRES 2 Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 3 ratings
Píseň o jablku/Muzeum planety Země
1980
3.50 | 4 ratings
Dialog s vesmírem [EP]
1980
3.75 | 4 ratings
Člověk stroj/Ze tvých vlasů v ní se dotýkám
1981

PROGRES 2 Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Dialog S Vesmírem by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1980
4.13 | 89 ratings

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Dialog S Vesmírem
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Late during the recordings of the ''Maugli'' album Sochor parted ways with the band, which found suitable replacements in the talents of Karel Horky (keyboards) and Milos Moravek (guitar).They were renamed instantly in Progres 2 and started working on an impressive sci-fi Rock Opera, as proposed by their manager Oskar Man, dealing with a man who wanted to escape from the materialistic society and find peace in an infinite universe.The first performance of this work took place in February 1978 at the Exhibition Theater of Brno and several concerts followed throughout their homecountry, resulting to a number of about 350 lives by 1980.Meanwhile the band was working on the studio edition of the album, during which Horky left to study at the Janacek Academy and some keyboard parts were played by Pavel Pelc.The album ''Dialog s vesmirem'' was eventually released in 1980 on the Panton label.

Despite being a quite long Prog Opera, the band decided to cut parts of the original version, because some of them were not found suitable for the studio edition.These were offered to the public through a few singles released around the same time.Regarding the original version, Progres 2 had definitely grown as a group, both lyrically and musically, and ''Dialog s vesmirem'' finds them exploring the territories of Space and Prog Rock, dominating the style with the use of string, minimoog and Yamaha synthesizers and adding the psychedelic elements of the past along with a bunch of Classical inspirations and heavier textures.They came close to bands like PINK FLOYD, SBB, ELOY and ex-Soviets HORIZONT, offering a devastating, intricate and adventurous combination of poetry, atmospheric soundscapes and complex arrangements.Their material was characterized by the mixture of edgy guitars and powerful synthesizers, breaking into cinematic images with floating keyboards and Classical touches and leading often to frenetic instrumentals with quirky synth moves and complicated guitar exercises.The atmosphere, as a result, ranges from bombastic and energetic themes to dynamic guitar sections and laid-back movements.There are multiple tempo changes and instrumental efficiency in here, complemented by echoes of the past, when the band was more towards conventional songwriting.But the overall performance is extremely artistic and professional with great ideas and compentent arrangements.

The whole ''Dialog s vesmirem'' opera had been reissued, including the tracks from the singles, offering an even better idea on the band's musical style.The early live execution of this piece of art has also been issued on a couple of eponymous releases.Whatever version you choose, this is some great Space/Psych/Prog in the vein of SBB and ELOY with impressive instrumental parts and poetic lyrics, no less than strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

 Dialog S Vesmírem by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1980
4.13 | 89 ratings

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Dialog S Vesmírem
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Warthur
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Progres 2's Dialog s Vesmírem finds the Czech group putting out a capable prog rock album in a year when there were precious few quality releases. Star player on the album for me has to be Daniel Forró on keyboards, who is able to incorporate modern keyboards into his music in a unique manner which manages to sound fresh and new and avoids nostalgia whilst also evading the now rather dated sound of many early 80s synthesiser works, but I also have to pay tribute to Pavel Váně and Milos Morávek, whose heavy guitar offerings put me in mind of a proggier Jimi Hendrix.
 Barnodaj: Mauglí  by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1978
3.30 | 26 ratings

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Barnodaj: Mauglí
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Late-60's in Brno, Czech Republic, and drummer Zdenek Kluka along with guitarist/singer Pavel Vane establish one of the most famous rock groups of ex-Czechoslovakia, The Progress Organization.After a Psych/Folk/Rock album in 1971 (''Barnodaj'') the band was condemned to play live in just a few occasions in a country where Totalitarianism had flooded all free expressions.However Vane and Kluka moved on to a second album in 1978, this time under the name Barnodaj.''Maugli'' was released in 1978 on Supraphone with permanent members being also keyboardist Jan Sochor and bassist Pavel Pec.

The album finds the band in a transitional period from the easy-listening Psych/Folk sound of their debut to a more adventurous Art-Rock style, where the psychedelic elements are again present.These make ''Maugli'' an uneven effort, split between demanding and more easy-listening but definitely dated tracks of little interest.About half of them have simple song structures, where Psychedlic Rock meets Blues, Jazz and Folk , and these sound a bit amateur nowadays with mediocre vocal work and dull multi-vocal parts.The rest of the album though holds plenty of challenging material.This is driven by complex synth workouts, orchestral parts, organ leads and great guitar work by Vane, not that complicated but certainly of great prog value.Jan Sochor also offers also plenty of dramatic piano passages along with a few harpsichord beats to make the album sound even more diverse.I am reminded at moments of OTA PETRINA's albums: Progressive Rock mixed with various influences like Psychedelic Pop, Symphonic Rock and Folk, and the result is an album with a deep romanticism to be found throughout.

Under some very hard political circumstances the duo of Vane and Kluka created a work, containing ground-breaking music around the time for the country and, despite some dated stuff to be met as well, ''Maugli'' has lots of intricate moments to offer to the listener.Recommended.

 Třetí Kniha Dzunglí by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1982
3.48 | 33 ratings

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Třetí Kniha Dzunglí
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars This is PROGRES 's fourth studio album and it's a double concept record again based on "The Jungle Book" like their second release. I've expressed many times the difficulty I have with both double albums and concept albums, so yes to combine them rarely works for me. This is no exception.Since their previous recording (the amazing "Dialog S Vesmirem") two members have left and we get a new vocalist on this one, so we have a four piece band instead of five. I do like this recording but it really doesn't measure up to the previous one at all. I do like it better though than the second album "Maugli (As Barnoda)" though so 3.5 stars is my rating here. Most of the tracks here blend into each other.

"Ja" opens wih atmosphere and nature sounds before almost spoken words arrive before 2 minutes. It blends into "Setkani" where it kicks in quickly.Vocals before 2 minutes. A change after 4 minutes when the vocals stop.They return later. "Kjo Jsem ?" features atmosphere and guitar as reserved vocals join in. It blends into "Svet Dzungle" where drums and vocals start to lead.The synths and guitar create some depth. It settles 3 minutes in but picks back up a minute later. A reggae vibe before 5 1/2 minutes.There are some distinct similarities between this album and the "Maugli (As Barnoda)" album. "Zakon" has vocals,guitar and drums out front then keyboards before 2 1/2 minutes.Vocals are back around 4 minutes. "Opici Narod" is a short minimalistic piece until the end where it kicks in and blends into "Strach". It settles then kicks back in after 2 minutes, vocals too. Great sound when it settles in. "Ztraceny Rad" features swirling synths and almost spoken vocals. It kicks in late. These last two songs of disc one are excellent and my favourites.

Disc two starts with "Muz, Ktory Se Podoba Odvracene Strane Mesice" and it's futuristic and spacey. A beat arrives then it picks up with vocals after 2 minutes. A guitar solo after 4 1/2 minutes. "Nezname Nevpousted Dal" is my second favourite of disc two.The vocals, guitar and atmosphere all sound amazing here. "V Raji Stoleti" has these experimental sounds that come and go. A beat comes in and builds after 2 minutes. Cool track. "Reklamni Svita" is a strange track with vocals. "S Maskou A Bez Masky" features synths that are eventually joined by drums. Synths only 2 minutes in create a spacey atmosphere. Piano ends it as it blends into "To Ja Se Vracim" where vocals join in. Not a fan of this. It does kick in around 3 minutes. "Ozveny" is a short piece with vocal expressions and other sounds. "Cim De Svet Muj" opens with some good guitar which is joined by drums and synths.This is the longest track at over 8 1/2 minutes. Vocals also join in. I like the guitar throughout this tune. Definitely my favourite from disc two.

A good but long recording at 80 minutes. Well worth checking out.

 Dialog S Vesmírem by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1980
4.13 | 89 ratings

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Dialog S Vesmírem
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

5 stars I have reviewed their previous album "Maugli (As Barnodaj)" and I must admit it's almost shocking how much better "Dialog S Vesmirem" is compared to it. What happened in those 2 years ? This was apparently the first Rock Opera that was performed in Czechoslavakia and to get a taste of that you'd have to get the double live album that has the same title as this one. I'm so impressed with the bass, drumming and guitar work on this album.There's a JRF vibe at times and these guys can flat out play. Lots of synths here too. We do get vocals as well which sound good.

"V Zajeti Pocitacu" opens with an incredible guitar solo then the rest of the band kicks in around a minute.The bass here is huge. "Zeme 2555" opens with vocals and guitar then it kicks in fairly quickly. Catchy stuff and again the bass is very fat and the guitar impresses. "Pisen O Jabiku" has a spacey intro then acoustic guitar,vocals and bass standout.This is mellow but beautiful. Keys and synths follow. It picks up before 6 1/2 minutes. Love the bass and guitar here as we get a fantastic instrumental section right to the end. "Odlet" has this very epic intro then it settles in before a minute but it's uptempo.Vocals around 1 1/2 minutes. Chunky bass too. A powerful and dynamic final 2 minutes. Killer stuff.

"Planeta Hieronyma Boche I" is MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA-like to start. How good is this ! That changes when the vocals arrive 2 1/2 minutes in although it's still powerful. "Planeta Hieronyma Bosche II" opens with atmosphere and some ground shaking bass. It kicks in with drums after a minute. We get some vocals and vocal melodies. It settles after 3 minutes as the guitar starts to solo and it goes on and on right to the end. Amazing. "Ticise Mych Oci" opens with sounds that build including chunky bass. It calms down with vocals then kicks back in after 2 1/2 minutes with synths too. Nice. It settles again with vocals.The guitar to end it is incredible. "Hymna Robotu" opens with a drum solo that is so impressive. I'm not usually into them but this is inventive. Bass then vocals come in.

Well McFly is right this is a masterpiece and one of the best albums I have ever heard from the Czech Republic.

 Barnodaj: Mauglí  by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1978
3.30 | 26 ratings

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Barnodaj: Mauglí
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars This was PROGRES 2's second album although this would be the first under this band name. It was released in 1978 and is a concept album based on Rudyard Kipling's novel "Jungle Book". There's lots I like and dislike about this recording. This four piece Czech band has lots of vocal harmonies (each is credited with vocals here) along with some funk, sax and even sitar.

"Dzungle" opens with sitar and is therefore quite exotic sounding. Drums come and go in the background then they eventually lead the way. Sitar is back then the sound gets a little heavier. "Strach" is catchy with vocals for the first time.Too commercial sounding for my tastes though. Not really into the vocals and backing vocals either. Catchy though. "Kamarad Gramofon" has a different singer with a rougher voice as piano plays solo. It's fuller a minute in with backing vocals. Some tasteful guitar after 3 minutes and orchestral sounds. Very epic sounding here. "Stesti" is interesting with the dominant synths and drums leading early. Vocal melodies join in. Vocals before 1 1/2 minutes. Guitar solo after 2 minutes. "Bezedna Tun" has the guy with rougher vocals singing in it. I don't like when the tempo picks up at all.Yikes.

"Dopis V Lahvi" has some funky bass as other intricate sounds including sax come and go. It kicks in with vocals.This is good. My favourite track. "Pram Z Tramu" is ballad-like with vocals and piano. It does pick up some and get fuller with synths and drums. It's okay. "Tutovy Typ" opens with pulsating organ as synths join in. A calm then vocals and piano lead in this mellow section. Guitar,synths and drums lead before 2 minutes then the vocals and harmonies come in. "Maugli" opens with strummed guitar as what sounds like accordion joins in. Vocals follow with a beat as strummed guitar continues. Good sound. "Osud" is more serious sounding with piano and reserved vocals. It does kick in though with drums and a full sound which is better. Contrasts continue.The best part of the album for me is from before 2 1/2 minutes to almost 4 minutes,great instrumental section.

A good album that certainly has it's moments. Worth checking out for sure.

 Progres Story 1968-2008 by PROGRES 2 album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2008
3.91 | 3 ratings

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Progres Story 1968-2008
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Marty McFly
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars First song, Sunshine of Your Life is well known song by Cream, so it's not original music, but performance here can be, only difference are quite grumpy vocals (remember singer from "Planeta Hieronyma Bosche?"). As a collection of their best things, it is perfect. Captures their best songs very well. Some songs (Čím je svět můj) even sounds like any other of these foreign bands that I rated with 5-star. One important thing, it's collection of live materials. It's whirlwind of first-class prog rock and again, I'm left with no other option than to give perfect rating again.

5(-), because of these covers. I know, they're played by masters, so it's good, but still, there are 3 covers. But variety of songs presented here is so wide that I'm impressed. Indeed, some albums I don't remember so well, great mentioning of these forgotten hits. I hope for more fame for this group, but it's hard thing. Maybe this album can help.

Simply (famous nutshell paragraph), it's collection of their best songs. Not hits, just samples of various types of prog rock that they went through in their career. And not only that these songs are perfect, you can expect same quality on respective studio albums too. That's so great about it.

 Dialog s vesmírem (live) by PROGRES 2 album cover Live, 1993
3.97 | 11 ratings

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Dialog s vesmírem (live)
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Marty McFly
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars So, this is rare piece. That's something which was considered as revolution by those aware of it (mostly Czech rockers). Of course, when you ask someone who remembers these times about if this is good, he replied that it's first Czech audio-visual performance of rock music. That's bad thing about this, it's only audio, where images would be needed. It's like comparing The Wall audio track and movie, the movie just tells more.

Anyway, that's life. I don't know about any recorded material that could somehow survived these 30 years. And I couldn't go there for myself, because I wasn't born at these times. In fact, my parent's were still doing their business in completely different cities and wasn't aware one of another. So people like me have it difficult, so when I found this release, I was surprised. This is recording (just audio, but still, it is) of famous first performance of songs from "Dialog s vesmirem". It's premature, it's not without flaws, but it's pleasant, as small children, who you know retrospectively. You know that he'll be big and strong, wise and intelligent. But for now, he's still just small child, who's exploring world.

Comparing this and studio version is unfair, but necessary. Studio is better, this live version is worse, but it was first. So it should take some credit too. And not only first, it was played 2 years before actual release of studio version. I have certain image, how for example Píseň o jablku should sounds like and it's different. If I would be able to hear this one first (as it would be chronologically, correct way), I would maybe think differently, but some things are just like that and you can't change their way.

If you just could understand this, this is concept album and Story is important here. I can try to translate it, but it would be long, painful and uncertain process.

4(+) for quite good live performance, as I don't like them normally. This is remarkably excellent, even despite of fact which I presented earlier.

 The Progress Organization: Barnodaj by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1971
3.11 | 19 ratings

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The Progress Organization: Barnodaj
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Marty McFly
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Not so happy album though, as it's not their best work. After all, it's their first. And it's not as prog as their later albums. It's nice example of their early works and so, for fans it's great. For normal people interested in folk/rock music of these times (remember, in this era, strict limits from communist regime began to take its place). Some of them are even quite average ones Ptáčník, reminding me these big bands (where trumpets takes its place). And let's dare more, some songs reminds me early recordings of band Synkopy.

3(-), nope, no more. Nothing I can do about it.

 Mozek by PROGRES 2 album cover Studio Album, 1984
3.51 | 26 ratings

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Mozek
Progres 2 Eclectic Prog

Review by Marty McFly
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars (I've lost my review in browser accident and you know how hard it is to write something again, so, I'll be quite brief, sorry for that) One of the best Czech prog bands didn't suffer usual 80's crisis, they maintain high standard of quality on this release. It's a concept album about great scientist - mathematician, who beats computers. There's quite interesting story, which will unfortunately be hidden for most. They're also dubbed Czech King Crimson and partially, I have to agree. It is like that. Album is interesting quite a lot and at least I can enjoy it to the maximum. Why ? Because in dark ages of 80's, they continued in great effort of making interesting music, especially under red veil of ever-present communist menace that threatened to end life of everything independent. It can be also taken as early warning against "threat" from too much computerization of society, further destroying nature and departing from normal way of living.

It is warning, but also there are ideas how to solve it. This is, again as with their "Dialog s vesmírem" ("Dialogue with universe") very poetical album. Not calm/peaceful, but beauty is here, even in rush of instruments. Also, three members departed since their 1979 (actual release, but let's keep formal, 1980 here) Dialog. In fact, Czech scene wasn't better before. Strange, when considering situation here. Well, maybe that stress and terror conditions makes people do their best. Also, the lyrics are very satirical. I don't know for sure, but I sense here criticism of socialistic government of then-times.

4(+), fair deal.

EDIT: -1

Thanks to clarke2001 for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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