4 little gems (145) - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Topic: 4 little gems (145)
Posted: May 26 2015 at 14:18

Georges Grunblatt : K-Priss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_It2sFIudk

Jupu Group : Ahmoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrbPMMLwCAI

Radomir Mihailovic Tocak : R M Tocak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eamrHr70Fow

Ghédalia Tazartès : Une éclipse totale de soleil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdGrwLDlOqg

hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: May 26 2015 at 14:21

Radomir Mihajlovic Tocak R. M. Tocak album cover

Review by clarke2001
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

The one and the only 70's solo effort from the SMAK's guitar player, Radomir "Tocak" Mihajlovic is very similar in style and sound with the SMAK's albums from the same era. A very nice, emotional bluesy progressive rock. Musicianship is very good, actually is almost on the same level as usual SMAK setup. There are loads of interesting ideas here ("Modifans"), rocking moments ("Svrabez") and a nice diversity of styles, including some Mihajlovic's experimentation using drum sticks on his Fender Stratocaster.

This album, although it is an instrument-oriented one, is as very intimate reflection of author's state of mind - it was made in the year when Tocak's father died. So we have here a perfect blend of - let's say - Santana-style blues, Robert Wyatt's introspection and DEEP PURPLE rocking, all spiced up with LEB I SOL-like style of fusioning Balkan folk with rock music.

The tracks vary in the quality, but there are no weak songs on the album. Perhaps the highlight of the album is the opening track itself ("Oro"), because it's one of the first efforts in rock music to blend rock with Balkans' irregular time signatures in a very particular form of a dance called oro. Radomir's guitar really rocks here, and it's quit difficult to follow the song, since it's written in 11/8+11/8+11/8+14/8 !

The weakest point of the album is the sound itself. It's...well...bad. Sound production is very seventies and very raw, but both in the bad way. The instruments sounds distant, and one can get an impression that they tried to get sophisticated sound out of the raw material, and at the end of the day you have great instrument interplays, but all muffled and emphasised in the audio mid-range. Pity. I'm not sure if this issue has ever been re-publish onto digital format, and if so, I hope someone skillful did a good remastering.

This is very good album (design and inner sleeve of a LP are nice too) with no bad songs, but it's not a masterpiece. Chronologically, it fits perfectly in the era, both from the genre's and the band's point of view.

twseel

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Posted: May 26 2015 at 15:44

Oh my Jimmy I love Ghedalia!

hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: May 26 2015 at 16:10

Isn'it ? A perfect mix of prog and concrete music. I call this : sound poetry.

Here is the man.

zravkapt

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Posted: May 26 2015 at 23:04

These were all new to me (although I know of the band Smak). I ended up voting for Georges Grunblatt.

Magma America Great Make Again

hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: May 27 2015 at 03:26

Darryl

My old DFW area pal Eric says this on Mutant Sounds: "Grunblatt was a member of Heldon in their earlier days and here on his 1980 solo, he's helped out by the entirety of Heldon's late model line-up (albeit not always at the same time), meaning, Pinhas, Patrick Gauthier and Heldon's ace rhythm section of Francois Auger and Didier Batard as well as Weidorje guitarist Michel Ettori (ed: who was also on Heldon II). For Heldon fiends, this makes this something of a holy grail, but there are reasons beyond just K-Priss' line-up to bestow upon it such wild praise. The other principal reason is that this is not just great French electronic prog, it's great *cheese* as well. I wouldn't necessarily call this disco-prog, but it's got all sorts of highly winning and amusing period details that really sends this over the top for me on multiple levels." The cheese factor was always right in Eric's wheelhouse, and after hearing countless records like it, I can understand his passion for it. For example, I love Hydravion, and it's loaded with extra gooey cheese.

Good album that has aged well for me. Would be an excellent choice for Soleil Zeuhl or Musea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZCZG0YTmtw

zravkapt

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Posted: May 27 2015 at 11:09

Ahhhhhhhh, a former member of Heldon with other Heldon members helping out. No wonder I liked it.

Magma America Great Make Again

hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: May 27 2015 at 11:23

Yeah. Heldon disco !

Mellotron Storm View Drop Down

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Posted: May 27 2015 at 16:33

Man, tough call between the Smak dude and the Heldon fellow. I guess i'll go with the former.

"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"

"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN

hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: May 28 2015 at 04:04

Excellent stuff, John. Thumbs Up

Tocak makes me think of Area with more guitars.

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Posted: May 28 2015 at 04:05

Review by Matti
COLLABORATOR Neo-Prog Team

Ahmoo (the word means nothing, I think) is the sole album by a Finnish fusion sextet, recorded in August/September 1975. It hasn't yet appeared on CD, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Rocket Records to do the job anyday.

The first two tracks are much funkier than I expected, giving the lead role to Janne Louhivuori's electric guitar. 'The Seeker' is written by drummer Upi Sorvali and 'Ennystymätön' - another nonsense word! - , with its groove reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition', by violinist Juhani Poutanen. The 10- minute title track is quite different: a serene and a bit aimlessly wandering arty-farty focusing on piano and percussion. The A side is a disappointment for me as I expected airy & melodic fusion in the style of Jean Luc Ponty (foir the presence of violin). Technically this group is excellent, however.

'Moment' (by Poutanen) finally features the awesome violin virtuosity. Especially this 8-minute highlight track is on the level of the American fusion of the time (Weather Report, Return To Forever...).The bassist Ilkka Hanski has composed 'Two for Eeva', which starts rather boringly with the bass taking the solistic role. Usually bass solos in jazz always bore me, by the way. Little by little the track grows to be more interesting, including various phases. I like the lively piano in it. The closing track 'Drops of Rain' (by keyboard player Jukka Linkola) begins quietly in a meditative manner, and it also remains very delicate and impressionistic, evoking images of soft summer rain.

Even though I was mildly disappointed at first, due to my own expectations, I believe this unique album is a grower, definitely it's full of original and fine musicianship.

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Posted: May 28 2015 at 21:19

My vote goes to Ghédalia Tazartès who wins this poll. Fantastic and unique album.

*New Remastered Edition in a new sleeve* This record marked the first installment of Alga Marghen's retrospective of Ghedalia Tazartes' recording career: Une Eclipse Totale De Soleil was first reissued in 1997 having been initially released in 1979. In this form the original's two-part make-up was bolstered by a twenty-four minute third part, a new piece composed specifically for the reissue. Sounding quite unlike the output of his more academic contemporaries, Tazartes' music compiles fragments of tapes, voices and various other sound recordings in a fashion that's very idiomatic and new sounding, even by contemporary standards. The original two parts are made up from sung passages of Middle Eastern musics, drum machine noises, distorted signals and the voices of small children. The newer third part takes some of the same sorts of cues but is more in-keeping with turntablism or sampling culture, dipping into recordings recycled from pop culture. Recommended.

Poll Question: Which one do you prefer ?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Georges Grunblatt : K-Priss	2	[25.00%]
Jupu Group : Ahmoo	1	[12.50%]
Radomir Mihailovic Tocak : R M Tocak	1	[12.50%]
Ghédalia Tazartès : Une éclipse totale de soleil	4	[50.00%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Topic: 4 little gems (145) Posted: May 26 2015 at 14:18
	Georges Grunblatt : K-Priss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_It2sFIudk Jupu Group : Ahmoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrbPMMLwCAI Radomir Mihailovic Tocak : R M Tocak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eamrHr70Fow Ghédalia Tazartès : Une éclipse totale de soleil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdGrwLDlOqg

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 26 2015 at 14:21
	Review by clarke2001 SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator The one and the only 70's solo effort from the SMAK's guitar player, Radomir "Tocak" Mihajlovic is very similar in style and sound with the SMAK's albums from the same era. A very nice, emotional bluesy progressive rock. Musicianship is very good, actually is almost on the same level as usual SMAK setup. There are loads of interesting ideas here ("Modifans"), rocking moments ("Svrabez") and a nice diversity of styles, including some Mihajlovic's experimentation using drum sticks on his Fender Stratocaster. This album, although it is an instrument-oriented one, is as very intimate reflection of author's state of mind - it was made in the year when Tocak's father died. So we have here a perfect blend of - let's say - Santana-style blues, Robert Wyatt's introspection and DEEP PURPLE rocking, all spiced up with LEB I SOL-like style of fusioning Balkan folk with rock music. The tracks vary in the quality, but there are no weak songs on the album. Perhaps the highlight of the album is the opening track itself ("Oro"), because it's one of the first efforts in rock music to blend rock with Balkans' irregular time signatures in a very particular form of a dance called oro. Radomir's guitar really rocks here, and it's quit difficult to follow the song, since it's written in 11/8+11/8+11/8+14/8 ! The weakest point of the album is the sound itself. It's...well...bad. Sound production is very seventies and very raw, but both in the bad way. The instruments sounds distant, and one can get an impression that they tried to get sophisticated sound out of the raw material, and at the end of the day you have great instrument interplays, but all muffled and emphasised in the audio mid-range. Pity. I'm not sure if this issue has ever been re-publish onto digital format, and if so, I hope someone skillful did a good remastering. This is very good album (design and inner sleeve of a LP are nice too) with no bad songs, but it's not a masterpiece. Chronologically, it fits perfectly in the era, both from the genre's and the band's point of view.

twseel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 15 2012 Location: abroad Status: Offline Points: 22767	Posted: May 26 2015 at 15:44
	Oh my Jimmy I love Ghedalia!


hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 26 2015 at 16:10
	Isn'it ? A perfect mix of prog and concrete music. I call this : sound poetry. Here is the man.

zravkapt Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6446	Posted: May 26 2015 at 23:04
	These were all new to me (although I know of the band Smak). I ended up voting for Georges Grunblatt.
	Magma America Great Make Again

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 27 2015 at 03:26
	. Darryl My old DFW area pal Eric says this on Mutant Sounds: "Grunblatt was a member of Heldon in their earlier days and here on his 1980 solo, he's helped out by the entirety of Heldon's late model line-up (albeit not always at the same time), meaning, Pinhas, Patrick Gauthier and Heldon's ace rhythm section of Francois Auger and Didier Batard as well as Weidorje guitarist Michel Ettori (ed: who was also on Heldon II). For Heldon fiends, this makes this something of a holy grail, but there are reasons beyond just K-Priss' line-up to bestow upon it such wild praise. The other principal reason is that this is not just great French electronic prog, it's great cheese as well. I wouldn't necessarily call this disco-prog, but it's got all sorts of highly winning and amusing period details that really sends this over the top for me on multiple levels." The cheese factor was always right in Eric's wheelhouse, and after hearing countless records like it, I can understand his passion for it. For example, I love Hydravion, and it's loaded with extra gooey cheese. Good album that has aged well for me. Would be an excellent choice for Soleil Zeuhl or Musea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZCZG0YTmtw

zravkapt Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6446	Posted: May 27 2015 at 11:09
	Ahhhhhhhh, a former member of Heldon with other Heldon members helping out. No wonder I liked it.
	Magma America Great Make Again

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 27 2015 at 11:23
	Yeah. Heldon disco !

Mellotron Storm Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: August 27 2006 Location: The Beach Status: Offline Points: 12919	Posted: May 27 2015 at 16:33
	Man, tough call between the Smak dude and the Heldon fellow. I guess i'll go with the former.
	"The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 28 2015 at 04:04
	Excellent stuff, John. Tocak makes me think of Area with more guitars.

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 28 2015 at 04:05
	Review by Matti COLLABORATOR Neo-Prog Team Ahmoo (the word means nothing, I think) is the sole album by a Finnish fusion sextet, recorded in August/September 1975. It hasn't yet appeared on CD, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Rocket Records to do the job anyday. The first two tracks are much funkier than I expected, giving the lead role to Janne Louhivuori's electric guitar. 'The Seeker' is written by drummer Upi Sorvali and 'Ennystymätön' - another nonsense word! - , with its groove reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition', by violinist Juhani Poutanen. The 10- minute title track is quite different: a serene and a bit aimlessly wandering arty-farty focusing on piano and percussion. The A side is a disappointment for me as I expected airy & melodic fusion in the style of Jean Luc Ponty (foir the presence of violin). Technically this group is excellent, however. 'Moment' (by Poutanen) finally features the awesome violin virtuosity. Especially this 8-minute highlight track is on the level of the American fusion of the time (Weather Report, Return To Forever...).The bassist Ilkka Hanski has composed 'Two for Eeva', which starts rather boringly with the bass taking the solistic role. Usually bass solos in jazz always bore me, by the way. Little by little the track grows to be more interesting, including various phases. I like the lively piano in it. The closing track 'Drops of Rain' (by keyboard player Jukka Linkola) begins quietly in a meditative manner, and it also remains very delicate and impressionistic, evoking images of soft summer rain. Even though I was mildly disappointed at first, due to my own expectations, I believe this unique album is a grower, definitely it's full of original and fine musicianship.

hellogoodbye Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251	Posted: May 28 2015 at 21:19
	My vote goes to Ghédalia Tazartès who wins this poll. Fantastic and unique album. New Remastered Edition in a new sleeve This record marked the first installment of Alga Marghen's retrospective of Ghedalia Tazartes' recording career: Une Eclipse Totale De Soleil was first reissued in 1997 having been initially released in 1979. In this form the original's two-part make-up was bolstered by a twenty-four minute third part, a new piece composed specifically for the reissue. Sounding quite unlike the output of his more academic contemporaries, Tazartes' music compiles fragments of tapes, voices and various other sound recordings in a fashion that's very idiomatic and new sounding, even by contemporary standards. The original two parts are made up from sung passages of Middle Eastern musics, drum machine noises, distorted signals and the voices of small children. The newer third part takes some of the same sorts of cues but is more in-keeping with turntablism or sampling culture, dipping into recordings recycled from pop culture. Recommended.