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Mahagon - Mahagon CD (album) cover

MAHAGON

Mahagon

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.59 | 32 ratings

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apps79
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Mahagon begun life in 1973 in Prague, Czech Republic thanks to bassist Petr Klapka.They were more of a Psych/Pop/Funk Rock band during their early years, as captured on their first 76'-dated single.It was around the same time, when Klapka's wife and ex-C&K Vocal singer Zdena Adamova joined the band.In June 1977 they recorded their self-titled debut at the Mozarteum Studio in Prague, the album was released next year on Supraphon.While the regular band consisted of Klapka, Adamova, keyboardist Michael Kocab, guitarist Jiri Jelinek and drummer Ladislav Malina, there was a huge guest list of wind, brass and string instrumentalists credited on the album.

Mahagon had to be one of the very fascinating groups in Czechoslovakia back at the time, they surely had a fair amount of funky leftovers present in their arrangements, but their sound now was filled with complex themes, jazzy twists and inventive interplays thanks to the huge instrumental selection and the great move of adding Adamova as a back up singer.Musically they seem to scan a wide range of the Fusion spectrum, there are these impressive furious grooves and jazzy attacks in the vein of DIXIE DREGS with the violin in evidence, there are a lot more CHICAGO-like brass-headed sections with an orchestral feel and excellent guitar plays by Jelinek and then come the frenetic Jazz Fusion instrumentals with the electric piano, dominant bass and fast drumming similar to ARTI E MESTIERI.''Oci nevidomych zrcadel'' is a different fruit in Mahagon's production, very similar to early MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA with acoustic, electric and string interventions in an atmosphere split between melancholy and anger, excellent stuff.And on the top of these you can hear echoes of COS throughout thanks to Adamova's ethereal voices, as the band sounds closer to Zeuhl acts, like on ''Pulnocni'' or ''Obrazarna'', which shift between funky moods and dramatic interplays with lots of guitar, electric piano and violin in the process.

Jelinek shockingly passed away at the age of 23 prior to the album's release and was replaced by ex-Bohemia Michal Pavlicek.Malina was also replaced by Jiri Hrubes on drums and Nada Vavrova was added on percussion for the second album ''Slunecnice pro Vincenta van Gogha'', released in 1980, but showing the band moving into a funkier direction.Mahagon dissolved shortly afterwards, following the emigration of Klapka and Adamova in the USA.

Solid and convincing Fusion, the best aspect of which comes from the band's flexibilty between stylistical, atmospheric and tempo changes.Hints of Fusion, Zeuhl and Canterbury Jazz throughout.Nice and strongly recommended work...3.5 stars.

apps79 | 3/5 |

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