Lead by ace guitarist Radim Hladík, BLUE EFFECT were one of the major progressive bands in Czechoslovakia; they were to their own country what OMEGA were to Hungary, or SBB to Poland. They started out in 1968 with a couple of early R&B-oriented albums. However, the Czech government strongly disapproved of English names at the time, so the band switched to MODRÝ EFEKT and later to simply M.EFEKT. After these two albums, their material veered towards jazz rock and by the early 80's, following several personnel changes, their music had become a little less prog, more accessible. They released their last album in 1981 and then quietly disappeared. Of particular interest to prog fans are three albums: "Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík" (1975) which features an energetic mix of YES-like symphonic rock with some fusion; the overall effect will likely remind you of FINCH or CRUCIS. Emphasizing Hladik's brilliant soloing, this was the album that established him as "the" Czech guitarist par excellence. However, it is "Svitanie" (1977) that is considered the band's true masterpiece. With its sinewy bass lines and bold keyboard/guitar melodies, it is still quite YES-influenced but it also has a definite Czech flavour that makes it unique. Finally, there is the bolder, more complex and not so YES-like album titled "Svet Hledacu - World of Searchers" (1979); this one is characterized by many sudden tempo shifts and emphasizes the flux between the spacey synths and Hladik's biting guitars. Except for this album, whose 5 official tracks are all sung, the band's répertoire is mostly instrumental. Line-up / Musicians Vlado Čech/drums Radim Hladík/guitar Jiří Kozel/bass Vladimír Mišík/flute,vocals Lešek Semelka/vocals Discography(Album) Meditace (Kingdom of Life) 1969
1.Paměť Lásky 2.Blue Efect Street 3.Fénix 4.Stroj na nic 5.Sluneční hrob 6.Little Girl 7.Deserted Alley 8.Blues About Stone 9.Rainy Day 10.Where Is My Star
In 1973, immediately after the release of « Tarot » with Walter Wegmuller and during improvised sessions of the Cosmic Jokers, Rolf Ulrich Kaiser (producer, founder of the « cosmic couriers » label) publishes an other 'acid' musical experience with his project 'Lord Krishna von Goloka'. For this highly mystical adventure around India, Oriental mythologies and legends, the Kaiser asked the Swiss esoteric writer Sergius Golowin to join the group. 'Lord Krishna Von Goloka' is Sergius Golowin's unique musical collaboration. Sergius Golowin's intellectual & spiritual world (made of occultism, popular legends, shamanism.) takes a major importance for the conceptualization of the project. Golowin is notably responsible of lyrics, making incantatory voices and recitations in German for intriguing "acid" folk based compositions. The album features usual musicians employed for the Cosmic Jokers jam sessions (the guitarist Manuel Gottsching, the keyboarder Klaus Schulze.). In addition we can notice the obvious presence of the Munich folk artists Walter Westrupp & Bernd Witthuser (on flute, percussions, acoustic guitars.). This album sounds like an evident cross between the pastoral flavor of Teutonic prog folk and the intergalactic mood of krautrock. Consequently, this is an imaginative, freak out musical experience to serve the philosophy of Rolf Kaiser's business "Kosmischen Kuriere". Line-up / Musicians Sergius Golowin/voice Jerry Berkers/guitar,bass,bongo Jurgen Dollase/piano,melotron,vibrafon,guitar Jorg Mierke/guitar,organ,percussion,flute,conga Klaus Schulze/drum,organ,electronics Walter Westrupp/guitar,flute,tablas,percussion Bernd Witthuser/guitar Discography(Album) Lord Krishna von Goloka 1973
Along with The Matadors, Flamengo were one of the earliest Czech groups that started out in the mid-60's as beat bands and recorded a bunch of singles on legal state apparatchik label. Their then-leader Frantisek Francl was a well regarded fuzzed-up guitarist and wrote most of their track (even if they did a cover of John Mayall's No Reply), but with time, the group changed line-up and with the arrival of the now-legendary vocalist Vladimir Misik and woodwind player Jan Kubik, the group's sound was dramatically affected and started sounding like a brass rock band, with a slightly more jazz twist than the better know US groups. They might be compared best with Colosseum and sometimes Traffic. Their sole album Kuře v Hodinkách is a great bland of hard rock and early jazz rock. Music is more blues based hard rock, with lot's of horn arrangements, with slight soul influence as well - think along the lines of Traffic or the German band Lucifer's Friend, mixed with early Uriah Heep. The album starts with a heavy guitar riff doubled by sax, followed by another heavy song "Rám Prístích Obrazu", with great hammond playing and sax work. After a great climax the track ends in a with Vladimir Misik singing a stunning high F#. The next track opens with a fast sax/guitar unison lick, and follows in a straightforward bluesy fashion. "Já A Dým" is another highlight, with soft acoustic guitars and flute supporting Vladimir Misik. In particular this track evokes some similarities to Traffic. "Par stoleni" is also another great ballad, with a dreamy atmosphere, because of the sustained vibraphone sound and flute. This album was set to be released in 72 on the state label Supraphon, but apparently was quickly banned by the regime. Nothing was heard from the musicians until 76, so most likely, they chose to lay low for a while. Line-up / Musicians Jan Kubik/saxophone,flute,clarinet,vocals Pavel Fort/guitar,vocals Ivan Khunt/organ,vocals Vladimir Guma Kulhanek/bass,vocals Jaroslav Erno Sedivy/drums Vladimir Misik/vocals,guitar Discography(Album) Kuře v Hodinkách 1972
1.Kure V Hodinkach (Introdukce)/Chicken In The Watch (Introduction) 2.Rám Prístích Obrazu/Frames Of Future Pictures 3.Jenom Laska Vi Kam/Only Love Knows Where 4.Já A Dým/Me And The Smoke 5.Chvile Chvil/Moment Of The Moments 6.Pár Století/Some Centuries 7.Doky, Vlaky,Hlad A Boty/Dockyards,Trains,Hunger And Shoes 8.Stále Dál/Further On 9.Kure V Hodinkach/Chicken In The Watch
Energit was founded in 1972 from the ashes of Flamengo, wherefrom two members originate: Ivan Khunt (vocals) and Jaroslav "Erno" Sedivý (drums). Completing the core lineup was Lubos Andrst (Framus 5, Jazz Q) and Vladimír Padrunek (Jazz Q). Soon after its inception, the band was banned from playing live. At this time they were playing hard rock similar to Flamengo, with (supposedly) provocative lyrics; for a time in 1974 even Vladimír Misík of Flamengo fame sang for them. They were under pressure from the government, resulting in the emigration of Sedivý and Khunt. After that Lubos Andrst took over the band, and recruited mostly jazz-oriented musicians over the years, most notably Emil Viklický on keyboards, whose presence graced the excellent self-titled debut LP in 1975. In 1976 they released an E.P. and made an appearance on "Jazzrock Workshop 2" compilation. A further LP was released in 1978 (this time more funk-oriented), after which the band disappeared into obscurity. Recently they have been reformed by Andrst, Kulhánek, Sedivý and Honza Holecek, and gig around Czech Republic. Line-up / Musicians Jan Vytrhlik/Bass Jiri Tomek/Congas Anatoli Kohout/Drums Josef Vejvoda//Drums Karel Jencik//Drums Emil Viklicky/Electric Piano Lubos Andrst/Guitar Rudolf Tichacek/Saxophone Discography(Album) Energit 1975
1.Rano (Morning Part I) 2.Paprsek Ranniho Slunce (The Early Sunray) 3.Nocni Motyl (Night-Butterfly) 4.Apoteoza (Apotheosis) 5.Rano (Morning Part II)
JAZZ Q was formed in 1964 by Martin Kratochvil (piano) and Jiri Stivin (woodwinds). In their early years, they were inspired by the late 50s free jazz happening in America. By the late 60s though, after becoming familiar with the English rock scene, Kratochvil decided to go in a more electric and groove-based direction. Jiri Stivin wasn't keen on playing this style and left shortly after recording their debut LP from 1970 "Coniunctio", which was a collaboration with a severed line-up of Blue Effect, and stylistically was a mish-mash of rock, fusion and free jazz. Kratochvil completely revamped the line-up with guitarist Lubos Andrst (Framus 5, Energit), bassist Vladimir Pudranek (Energit, ETC) and drummer Michal Vrbovec. In this line-up they recorded what may be their best known album "Watchtower". Frantisek Francl replaced Andrst and the band also worked with the English singer Joan Duggan on their next LP, "Symbiosis" from 1974. Amongst the scores of sound-alike jazz-rock bands present at the time, JAZZ Q really found their own voice, although it could be argued that later stuff was more stylistically definable. JAZZ Q was also one of the few long-lasting Czech fusion bands, being active from 1964 till 1984. In 2004 they have regrouped in a classic lineup, although Francl is substituted by Zdenek Fiser, another jazz-rock veteran from the IMPULS fame. Line-up / Musicians Frantiek Francl/Guitar Vladimr Padrůněk/bass Martin Kratochvl/synthesizer,organ Michal Vrbovec/drums Joan Duggan/Vocals Radek Pobořil/Trumpet Jan Kubk/Clarinet Jiř Tomek/Congas Alexander Čihař/Double Bass Jiř Rotter/Backing Vocals Leek Semelka/Backing Vocals Pavel Dydovič/Backing Vocals Vladimr Mik/Backing Vocals Discography(Album) Symbiosis 1974
1.From Dark to Light 2.Lost Soul 3.Starbird 4.The Wizard 5.Epilogue
