JAZZ Q

"From Dark To Light" is very laid back and reserved vocals come in around 1 1/2 minutes. During one section after 3 minutes she almost speaks the words then it's back to the reserved singing. "Lost Soul" is a slow to mid-paced tune with a fairly heavy sound with the guitar contributing a lot to that. Vocals join in before a minute then we get a guitar solo before 2 minutes until around 3 minutes when the vocals return. Electric piano after 4 minutes as the vocals stop but the guitar continues. "Starbird" is laid back like the opener with vocals. It's fuller after 2 minutes but it settles back again. The guitar replaces the vocals after 3 1/2 minutes then the electric piano leads. Vocals are back after 5 minutes. It picks up during the final minute to a jazzy mode with vocal melodies.

"The Wizard" is by far my favourite and it's not because it's 16 1/2 minutes long either. It picks up 1 1/2 minutes in and the vocals join in. This is great ! Electric piano and vocals are most excellent here. Guitar comes in after 7 minutes and leads as the vocals stop. A calm follows where bass and sparse piano take over including a bass solo. It kicks back in after 10 1/2 minutes with vocals. Some passion here then the guitar solos before 12 1/2 minutes when the vocals stop. Vocal melodies 14 minutes in as the guitar continues to solo. Vocals are back after 14 1/2 minutes. What a song ! "Epilogue" ends it and it's a somewhat spacey instrumental.

I would rate this in my top three of favourite JAZZ Q albums along with the debut and "Elegie". Now that's not counting the album they did with BLUE EFFECT in 1970 which is my favourite one that they have been a part of.

"Pori" has this drum intro which is followed by a calm then the beast starts to rise up before 2 minutes. Another calm then it starts to build before 4 minutes once again. It settles though and the guitar here reminds me of Fripp. Another calm 5 minutes in then this growly bass comes in followed by drums and guitar as the latter starts to light it up. Killer section as the beast is up. Keyboards replace the guitar after 8 minutes then we get another calm before 10 minutes. It's building before 11 minutes. What a song ! "Pozorovatelna" opens with growly bass, electric piano and drums and it's fairly laid back. Guitar before 1 1/2 minutes and it's relaxed. The bass is really growly after 4 minutes but the song continues to stay in check.

"Trifid" has this catchy but laid back start with electric piano, bass and drums. Guitar before 4 1/2 minutes and it's tasteful, although he will start to rip it up before 6 minutes. Guest female vocals before 7 1/2 minutes once the guitar stops. "Klobasove Hody" has these deep and growly bass lines to start then the drums and electric piano join in. The sound picks up, then it picks up even more 3 minutes in with the guitar leading the way and at times being aggressive. It settles back late to end it. "Kartgo" is kind of haunting with bass. Guest violin and sparse piano join in. It's still dark and atmospheric. It starts to pick up 3 1/2 minutes in to end it.

The guest female vocalist on the song "Trifid" is Joan Duggan and she would be front and center on their next album called "Symbiosis". A solid 4 stars and I must admit that if this had more powerful sections to go with the laid back ones this would be 4.5 to 5 stars. Still this is an easy one to recommend.

I'm going to review the final disc in the set which is titled "Rare Tracks" or "Bonusy" and can be only found in this set.

I would rate this particular disc at three stars simply because it is a mixed bag. "Blues Stary Zensky" is bluesy with horns. Male vocals replace the horns after a minute. Not bad. "Zly Sen" is a top three with the keyboards, percussion and female vocals standing out. This is quite jazzy. "Jsem Sva" is uptempo with female vocals. A snappy little number. "Ovci Vina" has female vocal melodies and a dreamy sound. Guitar and a Rock sound after 1 1/2 minutes. Some crazy vocal expressions come and go. It ends like it began. "Blues Holky Na Vdavani" opens with piano as almost spoken female vocals join in. It's fuller before 2 minutes. Bluesy stuff. "Velky Bohem" is a top three and it has lots of percussion like SANTANA, then male vocals come in with guitar. I like the electric piano after 3 minutes. "Prazske Boogie" is male vocals with a catchy sound.

"Zatmeni Mesice" is laid back as male vocals come in. It's fairly intense 3 1/2 minutes in. "Blues Podzimniho Odpoledne" is mellow with reserved vocals and some bluesy guitar. "Obohodnik A Destem" builds with clapping and more. It's okay. "What A Way To Start" is short and cute. "Why Do I Have To Move" has synths a beat and vocals. "Konstelace" is my final top three. Horns and drama with intricate drumming. Electric piano comes in as well. Nice. "Witness To The World" is surprisingly a gospel song with harmonies. This is fun and very well done. Female vocals preach the word. "Goodbye !" ends it with about a nine minute uptempo instrumental. I like it !

I don't have a lot of box-sets, in fact not many at all. I can't justify buying box-sets of music I already own even if it's well packaged with lots of good info. This is a must for JAZZ Q fans and i'm sure i'll be the only one not to give this 4 or 5 stars.

"Slunovrat" reminds me of Herbie Hancock and it's kind of funky with prominant synths. The tempo shifts a lot and we get some good guitar late. A good song but my least favourite of the bunch. "Nadeje" opens with atmosphere and a calm as gentle guitar, a beat and violin come in. It's stiil laid back. When the violin stops the trumpet starts to lead, then the trumpet stops and melancholic synths lead. More relaxed trumpet leading before 4 1/2 minutes then it's the electric piano's turn late. Great sounding tune. "Citadela" kicks in right away and I love the drum work. It turns atmospheric. "Tanec" has some excellent sounding bass, drums and piano early on. The synths wash in then we get some incredible sounding guitar lighting it up. Electric piano then leads before the guitar returns to end it.

"Letavice" is melancholic with synths. Some laid back harmonica after 1 1/2 minutes and then before 4 minutes. "Toledo" is my favourite. This reminds me of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA the way the guitar, keyboards and drums create fire. It settles before 1 1/2 minutes then builds. Another calm before 4 minutes then it builds again. Love the guitar and also the keys late. "Zrava Dama" like the first track has some in your face synths. This is powerful and punchy. A calm before 2 minutes as it changes with percussion and other intricate sounds. Guitar after 2 1/2 minutes then it kicks in with synths after 4 minutes as the opening section of this song is reprised. "Vestba" is the short concluding tune consisting of piano and violin.

An easy 4 stars for this one. I'm really impressed with this one.

I should have mentioned that we have a female vocalist here who sings in English. "Watch Out" is a fairly energetic Blues song with vocals. "My Mother Told Me..." is also very Bluesy but slower paced as we get harmonica, Bluesy guitar and piano helping out. "We All Had A Real Good Time" has guitar, a beat, vocals and is Bluesy(gasp). "Sanctuary" is a top three as we get an ominous vibe in this slow moving instrumental. I like it ! "Giving Up" is laid back and very Bluesy. Some sax too.

"Freedom Jazz Dance" is easily my favourite and the only JRF tune in sight. Man if they had played more of these and the sound quality was better i'd be one happy guy. Violin 1 1/2 minutes in is ripping it up and i love the electric piano later when the vocals stop and they jam. The guitar then leads after 5 1/2 minutes. Vocals are back before 8 minutes. "Lonesome" is laid back and Bluesy with vocals. "Living For The City" is a top three and a Stevie Wonder cover. Good song. "Co Dum Dal" ends it with an uptempo Blues tune.

Fans only, but don't let this stop you from checking out this incredible band.

"Poprask" has a sparse intro with synths then a sample of a crowd cheering can be heard. Back to the synths leading the way until around 3 minutes when the guitar takes over. This is much better but it doesn't last long. Vocal melodies after 4 1/2 minutes then back to that synth led melody. "Vresoviste" is very laid back. Guitar just before 3 minutes but it's still laid back although this sounds better. Piano and a beat only a minute later then acoustic guitar helps out. Not a big fan of this one. "Madona" is clearly the best song i've heard from them from their later albums. It's mellow with atmosphere but the mood is dark. It turns fuller 3 minutes in then settles back but it's like restrained power. It kicks in after 5 minutes again with guitar. Fantastic track !

"Pralensni Pisen" is the other track I really like. It builds nicely and I like the bass and drum work.. it sounds punchy with synths over top. Electric piano before 3 1/2 minutes as it settles right down. It picks up again. Lots of atmosphere after 7 minutes then it kicks in again. "Dejvicke Blues" is bluesy with guitar, electric piano, harmonica and a beat. Not a fan. "Serosvit" is again a mellow tune although it picks up 2 1/2 minutes in with crowd noise again (sampled?). Piano and drums eventually lead the way then it settles late.

This is certainly worth checking out if your into laid back music with lots of synths.

"Klekanice" opens with atmosphere as sparse sounds come and go. Spanish-like guitar too. It kicks in after 2 1/2 minutes with the electric piano, bass and drums standing out. Synths replace the piano as they trade off in this uptempo and jazzy opener. "Vzknseni" is relaxed but with depth. We get a beat with synths over top. Guitar before 4 minutes but it's brief. "Slepej" has relaxed guitar and sound with some electric piano. Chunky bass before 2 minutes as the electric piano plays over top. The guitar solos over top later. "Jinotaj" is slowly played piano with synths. It sounds like strings after 2 1/2 minutes.

"Trist" has some crisp sounding drums with synths then guitar. The guitar becomes more passionate. "Korouhvicka" has these twittering synths and atmosphere. Drums and a change 2 1/2 minutes in, then back to the previous soundscape after 3 minutes. "Krupej" is piano and synth led while "Vetroplach" is laid back with guest sax helping out along with the usual synth dominance.

An interesting album that is worth checking out.

As i'm writing this I have another JAZZ Q album playing called "Zvestit" and a customer says "What are you jamming out to man ?" So I told him and he says "That's cool man." Funny but that's the second positive comment for that one today. Anyway back to this album, and we get started with "The Muffin" hmmmm. Lots of synths in this one and it does turn a little fuinky before a minute. Nice drum work after 3 minutes. "Dispute" is better. I like the intense intro but then a calm with electric piano follows. It starts to build but stays relaxed. Some nice guitar too. It's intense late. "Awakening" features some guest trumpet and is fairly laid back. Good song. "New year's Eve On Bastima" is synth led as electric piano plays underneath. The drums kick in then it settles into a groovy soundscape. A Latin vibe 2 1/2 minutes in then the guitar comes in. More intensity and synths late.

"Wing" is laid back but kicks in around 3 minutes. This is great ! It settles back a minute later. "Powder Beer" is light and catchy early. Not a fan of this but it does get better. "Asteroid" opens with keys as the bass joins in in this intricate and catchy piece. "God's Man" sounds different with that strummed guitar to start. Then synth take over but the strummed guitar does come back 1 1/2 minutes in. A fuller sound follows and I like the electric guitar before 3 minutes.

If this was JAZZ Q's only album I probably would give it a low 4 stars but honestly check out some of their earlier albums first because they are better.

3(-), think of it as a rarity, not usual album.

If you ever heard Jazz Q split album with Blue Effect (where they are more free jazz part, balanced with bluesy jazz rock by Blue Effect ), you will be surprised from very first sounds of this album. First of all, band have female vocalist now ( Joan Duggan), and then they play totally different music there.

Joan's vocals are in the key of Nico, with similar timbres, just stronger. Music on this album is keyboards-dominated jazz rock, influenced by Brian Auger, with often jazzy drumming and great Frantiek Francl guitar solos over it. Music is very bluesy, far not so complex and experimental as on band's split debut.

Excellent jazzy musicianship in combination with light psychodelia of Joan's vocals and perfect guitar work bring this album on forefront of similar albums ( in fact this release could be placed at the same level with best Auger/Driscoll releases).

Best album of one of the best Czech jazz fusion bands from early 70-s. Very recommended!

My rating is 4,5 rounded to 5!