NOVÁ SYNTÉZA 2 [AKA: NEW SYNTHESIS 2]

This album represents the last gasp, in many ways, of the first part of the history of Modry Efekt. The big band jazz rock and blues was soon to give way for a more stripped down approach on the next album, finally paving the way for the great symphonic works of the late 70's.

Nova synteza II is the natural progression from Nova synteza, released a few years earlier. The orchestrated works of the latter is here brought to fulfillment and genius. I guess this is the way Deep Purple ought to have sounded on their Concerto for group and orchestra. The singer even imitates Ian Gillan to perfection on the title track, the bulk of the album.

For me one of the greatest thing about this album is the second track, on Modry Efekt & Radim Hladik (released the following year). Here we get the vocalized and orchetrated version, which is a treat. On the other version it is more stripped down. I don't know which version I prefer. They are both excellent, only in different ways.

Nova synteza II is a great big band jazz rock album aswell as being the last of the past, before Modry Efekt followed a somewhat different and even more gloriuos path: that of the symphonic prog rock. It is great to hear and musically very high standing. Recommended to people into orchestrated jazz rock.