Gong – You (1974)

Gong are a psychedelic rock band that incorporates elements of jazz and space rock into their musical style.[3] The group was formed in Paris in 1967 by Australian musician Daevid Allen and English vocalist Gilli Smyth. Band members have included Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Steve Hillage, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake, Pierre Moerlen, Bill Laswell and Theo Travis. Others who have played on stage with Gong include Don Cherry, Chris Cutler, Bill Bruford, Brian Davison, Dave Stewart and Tatsuya Yoshida.

Gong’s 1970 debut album, Magick Brother, featured a psychedelic pop sound. By the following year, the second album, Camembert Electrique, featured the more psychedelic rock/space rock sound with which they would be most associated. Between 1973 and 1974, Gong released their best-known work, the allegorical Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy, describing the adventures of Zero the Hero, the Good Witch Yoni and the Pot Head Pixies from the Planet Gong.

In 1975, Allen and Smyth left the band, which continued without them, releasing a series of jazz rock albums under the leadership of drummer Pierre Moerlen. This incarnation soon became known as Pierre Moerlen’s Gong. Meanwhile, Smyth formed Mother Gong while Allen initiated a series of spin-off groups, including Planet Gong, New York Gong and Gongmaison, before returning to lead Gong once again in 1990 until his death in 2015. With Allen’s encouragement, the band decided to continue, releasing the album Rejoice! I’m Dead! in September 2016[6] and The Universe Also Collapses in 2019. (wikipedia)

You is the fifth studio album by the progressive rock band Gong, released by Virgin Records in October 1974. It is the last album by Daevid Allen’s iteration of the group until 1992’s Shapeshifter. Recorded at Virgin’s Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, England, side 1 was mixed at Pye Studios, Marble Arch, London, while side 2 was mixed at The Manor. It was produced by Simon Heyworth and Gong “under the universal influence of C.O.I.T., the Compagnie d’Opera Invisible de Thibet”, and also engineered by Heyworth.

You is the third of the “Radio Gnome Invisible” trilogy of albums, following Flying Teapot and Angel’s Egg. The trilogy forms a central part of the Gong mythology. The structure of the album mixes short narrative pieces with long, jazzy instrumentals (such as “Master Builder”, “A Sprinkling of Clouds” and “Isle of Everywhere”), building to a climax/conclusion with “You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever”.

Rolling Stone named You one of its “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums Of All Time”.

Lead guitarist Steve Hillage remade “Master Builder” as “The Glorious Om Riff” on his 1978 album “Green”.

Japanese psych-rock band Acid Mothers Temple also frequently cover “Master Builder”, entitled “Om Riff”, and have released 2 full albums dedicated to album-length renditions of the song: 2005’s “IAO Chant From The Cosmic Inferno” and 2012’s “IAO Chant From The Melting Paraiso Underground Freak Out”. (wikipedia)

You is the final installment in Gong’s legendary Radio Gnome Trilogy, and it marks an important turning point for the band. By 1974, the psychedelic hippie/folk-rock element of the sound that was leader Daevid Allen’s most important contribution was beginning to disappear. In its place was a more sophisticated musical vision that owed as much to jazz-rock fusion as to fellow space rockers like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind. Ironically, this is Gong’s most “spacy” album, full of extended, ethereal passages that would inspire future generations of space rockers. The sound was equally defined however, by the jazzy flights of saxophonist Didier Malherbe and the sinuous rhythms of bassist Mike Howlett and drummer Pierre Moerlen (the band would eventually become the fusion-oriented Pierre Moerlen’s Gong). Allen’s songs still provide a crucial link to the rest of the trilogy, though the conceptual/mythological aspect is less crucial to You. (by Rovi Staff)

Personnel:
Daevid Allen (guitar, vocals)
Mireille Bauer (percussion)
Tim Blake (synthesizer, mellotron)
Miquette Giraudy (vocals)
Steve Hillage (guitar)
Mike Howlett (bass)
Didier Malherbe (wind, vocals)
Benoit Moerlen (percussion)
Pierre Moerlen (drums, percussion)
Gilli Smyth (vocals)

The Rolling Stone review in their list “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums Of All Time”:

Tracklist:
01. Thoughts For Naught (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P.Moerlen) 1.33
02. A P.H.P.’s Advice (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P.Moerlen) 1.46
03. Magick Mother Invocation (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P.Moerlen/Bauer/Giraudy/ B.Moerlen/Smyth) 1.57
04. Master Builder (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P.Moerlen/Bauer/Giraudy/ B.Moerlen/Smyth) 6.19
05. A Sprinkling Of Clouds (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P. Moerlen) 8.58
06. Perfect Mystery (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P. Moerlen) 2.28
07. The Isle Of Everywhere (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P. Moerlen) 10.22
08. You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever (Allen/Blake/Hillage/Howlett/Malherbe/P.Moerlen/ Bauer/Giraudy/ B.Moerlen/Smyth) 11.29

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More from Gong:

The official website:

Jud’s Gallery – SWF- Sessions Volume 1-1972,1974 (2001)

JUD’S GALLERY is located in Offenburg, a town in the southwest of Germany. The band was founded in 1971 by mastermind/composer Jürgen ‘Judy’ Winter (vocals, bass, acoustic guitar) and Peter Oehler (guitar, piano). They never had a release during their existence in the 70s. As well as some other bands like Coupla Prog for example they joined recording sessions though at the radio station SWF Baden-Baden. The result was forgotten in the archives for a long time and first released by the german Longhair Music label, digitally remastered from the original tape.

The first line-up saw the additional musicians Hannes Gremminger (violin, piano), Herbert Brandmeyer (drums) and Elly Lapp (vocals). In July 1972 the five members went to the SWF studio to record the first self composed songs which were realized in one day without any overdubs or other reworking – Heavy Blues Rock and Folk affected by Gremmingers violin playing with time and spirit enough for some improvisations. JUD’S GALLERY afterwards went on tour all over in germany with Golden Earring, Steamhammer, Pretty Things, Beggar’s Opera and Alexis Korner.

After a festival gig the band was invited to the SWF radio station once more. The line-up had changed in the meanwhile. With the new members Clem Winterhalter (organ) and Sibi Siebert (drums) they managed to record new songs in march 1974. Now with a more Jazz Rock and Psychedelic orientation including the long track ‘Nordach’. After this positive experiences JUD’S GALLERY connected with Achim Reichel’s label ‘GORILLA MUSIC’ with the intent to produce an album. But this project finally failed because of economical and private reasons.

Jürgen Winter and Peter Oehler went different ways after the disbanding but continued making music. The album ‘SWF Sessions Vol.1’ was released in 2000 consisting of 9 songs from both radio session recordings. Winter is also carrying a longtime lawsuit against Gary Moore because he accuses him plagiarism. At the beginning of 2007 the band had a little renaissance with nearly the same line-up as 1974 and surprised with one live performance at the Reithalle in Offenburg. (Uwe Zickel)

This is another excellent Krautrock discovery for me. JUD’S GALLERY never released a studio album even though they toured with many big bands in Germany including BEGGER’S OPERA, GOLDEN EARRING and more. Fortunately they did go into the SWF radio station studios twice and that’s what we get here.Tracks 1-5 are from the first session (1972) while 6-9 is later in 1974.The later recordings sound more Krautrock-like with a more psychedelic style.There’s Hammond organ on that later session too with a somewhat different band lineup. My copy has a bonus track called “New Day’s Dawning” recorded at Home studio in 1975 and it’s a killer 13 1/2 minute track. I should mention that Jurgen Winter the leader of the band sued Gary Moore for plagerism, accusing him of copying the guitar solo from their “Nordrach” track and using it on his 1990 hit “Still Got The Blues”. One has to wonder how Moore could have even heard that track since the song wasn’t even out on an album, and let’s face it this is an obscure German band. Well Gary’s roadie, live-mixer and good friend at the time William Hindmarsh did work with JUD’S GALLERY back in the seventies on their live shows.That’s the connection and the judge sided with Jurgen and the band as they won the case over Moore. Interesting stuff.

“Inspiration” is heavy to start then it settles back and the guitar starts to solo in a raw yet laid back manner.It kicks back into that earlier soundscape as the contrasts continue. “Danger Of Shoot” is on this this recording twice.This earlier version pales to the later one. I just find the violin too prominant here for my tastes.The last half is better though as the guitar gets more prominance. “Follow Me” is mellow with acoustic guitar and piano leading the way. Bass and electric guitar join in and it turns heavier 2 1/2 minutes in. It picks up 4 minutes in but settles back with the guitar soloing in a relaxed manner. It’s heavier again 7 minutes then it picks up.Violin joins in. “Friends” is a peace song. Gentle guitar and reserved vocals lead the way.Some female backing vocals as well. It’s all about the lyrics. “Catch The Fly” is experimental at first then the violin and bass kick in then guitar before 2 minutes. A heavy rhythm follows.Violin continues until it stops before 4 minutes. Nice bass with a beat and the guitar joins in. Love this ! The violin is back before 7 minutes to end it.

“Reaching” is the start of the later sessions. This is uptempo as the vocals join in quickly.The guitar is prominant everytime the vocals stop. Bass, drums and guitar put on a show 2 1/2 minutes in.Vocals are back after 5 minutes. “Danger Of Shoot” has this laid back guitar as bass,cymbals the vocal melodies join in.This is great ! Reserved vocals after 2 minutes but they do become passionate.The guitar is more aggressive before 6 minutes. “Nordrach” is uptempo with the guitar leading early. Organ joins in and the drums are relentless.This is repetitive but oh so good ! A change before 8 1/2 minutes as the guitar and sound get louder. Another change before 10 minutes as wind, floating organ, vocal melodies then guitar ends it. What a song ! “White Woman” doesn’t do much for me with those crazy vocal outbursts.

“New Day’s Dawning” is the bonus track. A haunting atmosphere to start as some sparse algean flute comes in and distant sounding vocals. A beat and psychedelic sounding guitar arrive 4 minutes in as the vocals echo.The bass becomes prominant.Amazing stuff right here, so psychedelic. It kicks in heavily after 10 minutes but then settles back with percussion as the tempo then picks up with guitar and bass. It’s catchy too as he sings over and over “Morning, morning, a new day’s dawning”.

A must for those who are into the Krautrock scene. (Mellotron Storm)

Personnel:
Herbert Brandmeyer (drums on 01. – 05.)
Hannes Gremminger (violin, piano on 0. – 05.)
Peter Oehler (guitar, piano, vocals)
Sibi Siebert (drums on 06. -09.)
Jürgen Winter (guitar, bass, vocals)
Clem Winterhalter (organ on 06. – 09.)
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Elly Lapp (background vocals bei 04.)

Tracklist:
01. Inspiration 4:36
02. Danger Of Shoot (Early Version) 4:47
03. Follow Me 11:14
04. Friends 5:15
05. Catch The Fly 8:00
06. Reaching 6:00
07. Danger Of Shoot (Real Version) 8:10
08. Nordrach 12:00
09. White Woman 4:10

Music + lyrics: Jürgen Winter

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Jürgen Winter & Peter Oehler (2018):

The official Jürgen Winter website:

Budgie – In For The Kill (1974)

Budgie were a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff. They are described by author Garry Sharpe-Young as one of the earliest heavy metal bands and a seminal influence to many acts of that scene, with fast, heavy rock (an influence on the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) and acts such as Metallica being played as early as 1971. The band has been noted as “among the heaviest metal of its day”.

Budgie formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales under the name Hills Contemporary Grass. Their original line-up consisted of Burke Shelley on vocals and bass, Tony Bourge on guitar and vocals, and Ray Phillips on drums. After performing several gigs in 1968, the band changed their name to Budgie the following year and recorded their first demo. The band had initially considered going under the name “Six Ton Budgie”, but decided the shorter single word variant was preferable. Burke Shelley has said that the band’s name came from the fact that he, “loved the idea of playing noisy, heavy rock, but calling ourselves after something diametrically opposed to that”.

Their debut album of strong, blues-oriented hard rock was recorded at Rockfield Studios with Black Sabbath producer Rodger Bain[9] and released in 1971, followed by Squawk in 1972. The third album, Never Turn Your Back on a Friend (1973), contained “Breadfan”, which was covered by Metallica in 1987. Metallica had covered another Budgie song, “Crash Course in Brain Surgery”, earlier in their career. Ray Philips left the band before the fourth album In for the Kill! was recorded. He was replaced by Pete Boot.

In late 1974, Boot left and was replaced by Steve Williams for the album Bandolier. For concerts promoting this album (and the follow-up, If I Were Brittania I’d Waive the Rules), the band were augmented by second guitarist Myf Isaac. Music from the 1978 LP Impeckable was featured in the 1979 film J-Men Forever (shown frequently on the USA Network’s “Night Flight” T.V. in the 1980s) which is now considered a cult classic. Both Bourge and Isaac left in 1978 and were replaced by ex Trapeze guitarist Robert Kendrick and ex Hawkwind guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton. Langton’s stint was short lived as Kendrick convinced the band to fire him. In late 1978, having been dropped by A&M and with no new recording contract, this line up floundered, and after 12 months Kendrick was replaced by “Big” John Thomas (b. 21 February 1952) in late 1979. This line up recorded two albums for Kingsley Wards ‘Active’ label: Power Supply (1980) and Nightflight (1981). 1982 saw them signed to RCA for Deliver Us from Evil their final recording for a “major label”

The band continued to have success during the new wave of British heavy metal period, playing the Reading Festival in 1980 and then headlining the festival in 1982. They built a particular following in Poland,[citation needed] where they played as the first heavy metal band behind the Iron Curtain, in 1982. Also notable was their tour in support of Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz Tour.

The band stopped gigging in 1988. Members went into studio production, occasionally guesting on other projects; Thomas most notably worked on the Phenomena CD with Glenn Hughes out of the Black Sabbath studios.

Although the group had very little commercial success in America, they have enjoyed a strong cult following in Texas and they have been known to receive radio airplay from Joe Anthony and Lou Roney on KMAC/KISS radio in San Antonio in the 1970s, as well as KSHE95 in St. Louis. The band reformed using various drummers for one-off gigs in 1995, 1996 for outdoor festivals ‘La Semana Alegre’ in San Antonio, Texas. They toured in 2002–6, mostly in the United Kingdom, the NYC/NJ area, Dallas, and with a few shows in Europe including the Sweden Rock Festival and a return to Poland. In 1999 the band officially reformed in Letchworth.

In 2006, Budgie undertook a 35 date U.K. tour and released a new album, You’re All Living in Cuckooland on 7 November that year. In 2007 they also played in Sweden and Poland.

On 4 July 2007, Lees announced his departure from the band to concentrate on teaching and a solo career.

Following the departure of Lees, Dio lead guitarist and songwriter Craig Goldy offered his services while Ronnie James Dio was completing commitments with Heaven & Hell.

In February 2008 Craig Goldy accompanied Budgie on their first tour of Australia and continued playing with the band as ‘guest guitarist’ for all their shows.

Budgie’s November 2010 tour of Eastern Europe had to be cancelled as Shelley was hospitalised on 9 November in Wejherowo, Poland with a 6 cm aortic aneurism. After surgery, he returned to Britain for recovery.

On 3 March 2016, former guitarist John Thomas died at the age of 63 after being admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. The news of his death was confirmed by drummer Steve Williams on Facebook: “My friend and fellow BUDGIE band member John Thomas sadly passed away last night. My thoughts are with the loved ones he left behind.”

In February 2018, former Budgie drummer Pete Boot died at the age of 67. For many years he had been coping with Parkinson’s Disease.

In April 2018, founder member and original drummer Ray Phillips released his autobiography.

Budgie is best known as a hard rock and heavy metal band which incorporated elements of progressive rock and humor into their musical style. Beginning with 1975’s Bandolier, Budgie also began to incorporate funk into their music.

Budgie’s music was described in the All-Music Guide as a cross between Rush and Black Sabbath. Burke Shelley’s vocals have been compared to Geddy Lee due to his similar approach of high-pitched banshee wails (coincidentally, Shelley and Lee are also the bass players in their respective power-trio bands). Although Budgie remained quite obscure during their early career, many future stars of hard rock/metal have cited them as an important influence and covered their songs, including Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Van Halen, Melvins, Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden.

Metallica released a cover of “Breadfan” in September 1988 as a B-side to their “Harvester of Sorrow” single. It was later included on their 1998 album Garage Inc., and was also used as an encore during their 1988–1989 tour supporting their …And Justice for All album. A live video version is present on the Live Shit: Binge & Purge boxed set, taken from their Seattle concerts on 29 and 30 August 1989 where it was performed in the second encore. It was also played with frequency during the Madly in Anger with the World Tour and World Magnetic Tour. A short clip of “Breadfan” is played at the beginning of the “Whiskey in the Jar” music video. They also covered “Crash Course in Brain Surgery” on the Garage Days Re-Revisited EP. (wikipedia)

In for the Kill! is the fourth studio album by Welsh rock band Budgie. It was released through MCA Records in May 1974. The album includes the song “Crash Course in Brain Surgery”, originally released in 1971 as a single. The song was covered by Metallica for their 1987 EP The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited, while the album’s title track was covered by Van Halen during the group’s club days. (wikipdia)

Budgie’s fourth release, In for the Kill! (originally on MCA), confirmed their consistent metal songwriting. Like past releases, the album features huge metal riffs courtesy of guitarist Tony Bourge and wailing vocals from bassist Burke Shelley. “Crash Course in Brain Surgery” (their second song to be covered by Metallica) contains a repetitive and continuous riff, while “Zoom Club” stresses the importance of the almighty power chord. The title track (rumored to have been covered by Van Halen back in their club days) is metal at its most vibrant, while the group balances the album by including a folk number with Beatles-like vocal harmonies (“Wondering What Everyone Knows”). “Living on Your Own” continues the band’s tradition of lengthy closing numbers, ending another sadly overlooked album from this British band. Along with their first three albums (Budgie, Squawk, and Never Turn Your Back on a Friend), In for the Kill! is a robust collection of important (and, for its time, trailblazing) heavy metal. (by Greg Prato)

Personnel:
Pete Boot (drums)
Tony Bourge (guitar)
Burke Shelley (bass, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. In For The Kill 6.24
02. Crash Course In Brain Surgery 2.38
03. Wondering What Everyone Knows 2.54
04. Zoom Club 9.56
05. Hammer And Tongs 6.55
06. Running From My Soul 3.37
07. Living On Your Own 8.54
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08. Zoom Club (Single version) 3.27

All songs written by:
Tony Bourge – Burke Shelley

except 02. written by:
Tony Bourge – Ray Phillips – Burke Shelley

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More from Budgie:

The official website:

Krzysztof Sadowski And His Group – Three Thousands Points (1975)

Krzysztof Jan Sadowski (born 15 December 1936 in Warsaw) – Polish organist and jazz composer. His greatest hits: ‘To nie grzech’, ‘Spacer przy księżycu’, ‘Ten nasz zwyczajny świat’ and ‘Wiatr, wiosenny gitarzysta’.He made his debut in the mid-1950s. In 1957 he founded the band Modern Combo. He collaborated with leading Polish jazzmen, including Janusz Muniak, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Jan “Ptaszyn” Wróblewski, Andrzej Kurylewicz, as well as rock and pop bands and soloists (Czerwono-Czarni, Jerzy Grunwald, Józef Skrzek). He gave concerts in Poland and abroad. Between 1963 and 1966 he was the leader of the Bossa Nova Combo. In 1968 he began playing the organ and electronic keyboard instruments, creating the Krzysztof Sadowski Organ Group, with which he made numerous recordings for the Polish Radio and album recordings. He collaborated with Polish Television – he produced television programmes popularising classical music in an entertaining form and his own recitals (including Swing Party, K. Sadowski and his guests and Music for 200V).

He has performed and recorded with the Polish Radio Jazz Studio, Big Band Stodoła, Big Band Wrocław, Novi Singers group, Janusz Muniak, Tomasz Stańko. He has conducted Jazz Workshops in Chodzież and Puławy, as well as the music cafe Pod Kurantem in Warsaw. He is a composer of film music and songs for Maria Koterbska, Danuta Rinn, Maria’s daughter, Irena Santor, Katarzyna Sobczyk, Liliana Urbańska, Violetta Villas, Wanda Warska.

President of the Polish Jazz Association in the 1990s.

In 2005, awarded the Bronze Medal for “Meritorious Service to Culture Gloria Artis”[1].

In August 2019, media reports of sexual abuse of underage girls and boys by the musician, of which he was accused by investigative journalist Mariusz Zielke. In November 2022, the prosecutor discontinued the investigation into the case due to the statute of limitations. (wikipedia)

I can only hope that these accusations are not true.

The beginnings of fusion music in Poland may not have been very impressive – to recall the reviewed albums by Adam Makowicz or Spisku Six – but soon this trend caught up with the world level as well. One of the best proofs of this is the Three Thousands Points album signed by Krzysztof Sadowski and his Organ Group. The material develops ideas from the three years older ‘Na kosmodromie’ (released outside the Polish Jazz series), making even bolder – and somewhat more interesting – use of the possibilities of electric instrumentation. Compared to its predecessor, the longplay is also more coherent and stylistically consistent. The apt selection of own and other people’s compositions also proved to be a key to success. In addition, the excellent line-up has to be mentioned. Or actually two. This is because there were recordings made on two different occasions over a period of eight months, in completely different circumstances.

The entire first side of the vinyl record is filled with the three-part “Suite of Three Thousand”, recorded on 29 October 1974 at the Polish Radio studio during the 17th edition of the Jazz Jamboree festival. In addition to Sadowski – who exceptionally plays not only his primary instrument, the Hammond organ, but also the electric piano – the recording featured his wife, flutist Liliana Urbańska, bassist Wojciech Bruślik, Bulgarian-born saxophonist Veselin Nikolov, drummer Zbigniew Kitliński and percussionist Andrzej Zieliński. “Suite Three Thousand” is first and foremost a thrilling performance, with numerous solos on flute saxophone and keyboards, as well as powerful, jazz-rock rhythm section playing with very expressive, slightly distorted bass guitar parts. Of course, this is not a complete improvisation. The whole piece is based on several pre-composed motifs, and there is no shortage of planned changes of atmosphere and other twists and turns (there is even a more classical, swinging interlude at one point). Sadowski evidently felt perfectly at home in such a formula, as the title track from ‘Na kosmodromie’ already suggested.

While on the previous release, the title composition was accompanied by a collection of shorter, overly eclectic pieces, this time the whole album is kept in a similar style. This was achieved in spite of the fact that the remaining recordings were made after a long break, on 17-18 June 1975 at the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, with a much changed line-up. Only Bruślik, Urbańska and, of course, Sadowski remained from the previous incarnation of the Organ Group. The bassist brought in his old comrades from the rock group System, guitarist Wincjusz Chróst and drummer Wojciech Morawski (in the meantime, both of whom had also joined the Breakout line-up, with whom they recorded the album Stones). In addition, the band was joined by the fantastic saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski and percussionist Bożena Bruszewska.

The highlight of this session seems to be ‘This Ordinary World of Ours’, another three-part suite, although only its first and last parts appear here. The middle, song-like section had already appeared on Urbańska’s solo album Liliana. In truth, its absence worked out for the best, as it would not fit here at all. What’s left is great instrumental playing (albeit with Liliana’s vocals), on the borderline of fusion and progressive rock, and even with a sort of folk-like insertion of an acoustic guitar and elements of musique concrète. The remaining two recordings are interpretations of other people’s compositions.

A great example is the reworking of “Sorcery”, written by Keith Jarrett for Charles Lloyd, which in comparison to the original takes on a jazz-rock feel, but does not lose its finesse. The moment when all the instruments fall silent apart from the pastoral flute part, which gradually gives way to the sound of the organ, is capital. There was none of this in the original, and it really enriches the piece nicely. Claude Debussy’s ‘Syrinx’, originally written for solo flute, was also taken, but here played with the accompaniment of other instruments. The piece became more dynamic, coming a little closer to prog rock (I associate it with Bach’s ‘Bouree’ in the Jethro Tull version). It was played in quite a sophisticated way; Urbanska’s part is particularly successful.

‘Three Thousands Points’ is certainly not a revelatory album. On the contrary, it may even be accused of being somewhat derivative of Western performers. However, it is worth appreciating that Krzysztof Sadowski’s Organ Group draws only good patterns from world fusion, not succumbing to the fashion of the time for plastic sounds and dance rhythms. If we add to this a great performance and successful compositions, “Three Thousands Points” emerges as one of the few, at worst a dozen or so best albums in the Polish Jazz series. Paweł Pałasz )

Essential volume in the Polish Jazz series by organ grinder Krzysztof Sadowski and crew. Strong psych jazz with drum break action all over. Recommended piece for all funk and fusion heads. (Paweł Pałasz )

Recorded live at the Polish Radio Studio (XVII Jazz Jamboree + 74), October 27, 1974 (01.)
Recorded lie at the Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw/Poland, June 17. + 18. 1975

Personnel:
Wojciech Bruslik (bass)
Bozena Bruszewska (percussion)
Winicjusz Chrost (guitar)
Zbigniew Kitlinski (drums)
Wojciech Morawski (drums)
Veselin Nikolov (saxophone)
Krzysztof Sadowski (keyboards, electronics, percussion, vocals)
Tomasz Szukalski (saxophone)
Liliana Urbanska (vocals, percussion, flute)
Andrzej Zielinski (percussion)

Tracklist:
01. Introduction / Suita Trzy Tysiace (Suite Of Three Thousand) (Sadowski) 21.23
02. Sorcery (Jarrett) 6.04
03. Ten Nasz Zwyczajny Swiat (Cz. I I III) (Our Common World) (Sadowski) 9.58
04. Syrinx (Debssy) 3.50

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Camel – Ladyland, New York (1974)

Camel never achieved the mass popularity of fellow British progressive rock bands like the Alan Parsons Project, but they cultivated a dedicated cult following. Over the course of their career, Camel experienced numerous changes, but throughout the years, Andrew Latimer remained the leader of the band.

Formed in 1971 in Surrey, Camel originally consisted of Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Andy Ward (drums), Doug Ferguson (bass), and keyboardist Peter Bardens, previously of Them. By the end of 1973, the group signed with MCA and released their eponymous debut. In 1974, the band switched record labels, signing with Decca’s Gama subsidiary, and released Mirage.

In 1975, Camel released their breakthrough album The Snow Goose, which climbed into the British Top 30. The band’s English audience declined with 1976’s Moonmadness, but the album was more successful in America, reaching number 118 — the highest chart position the band ever attained in the U.S. Following the release of Moonmadness, Ferguson left the band and was replaced by Richard Sinclair (ex-Caravan); at the same time, the group added saxophonist Mel Collins. Latimer and Bardens conflicted during the recording of 1977’s Rain Dances and those tensions would come to a head during the making of 1978’s Breathless. After Breathless was completed, Bardens left the band. Before recording their next album, Camel replaced Bardens with two keyboardists — Kit Watkins (Happy the Man) and Jim Schelhaas (Caravan) — and replaced Sinclair with Colin Bass.

By the time Camel released their 1979 album, I Can See Your House From Here, rock & roll had been changed by the emergence of punk rock, which resulted in less press coverage for progressive rock, as well as decreased record sales. Camel suffered from this shift in popular taste — I Can See Your House from Here received less attention than any of the band’s releases since their debut. Latimer returned to writing concept albums with 1981’s Nude. In 1982, drummer Andy Ward was forced to leave the band after suffering a severe hand injury. Camel’s 1982 album, The Single Factor, was a slicker, more accessible affair than previous Camel records, but it failed to chart. Stationary Traveller (1984) was another concept album.

After the release of the 1984 live album, Pressure Points, Camel entered a long period of hibernation that lasted until the early ’90s. In 1985, Decca dropped Camel from its roster. Latimer wasn’t able to find a new label because he was embroiled in a difficult legal battle with Camel’s former manager Geoff Jukes; Camel eventually won the lawsuit in the late ’80s. Throughout this period, Camel produced no new music. In 1988, Latimer sold his home in England and moved to California, where he founded the independent label Camel Productions. By the time Camel recorded their follow-up to Stationary Traveller in the early ’90s, the band was, for most intents and purposes, simply Andrew Latimer and a handful of session musicians. Dust and Dreams (1991) was the first release on Camel Productions. In 1993, PolyGram released a double-disc Camel retrospective, Echoes. In early 1996, Camel released Harbour of Tears. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

And here´s a pretty good live bootleg:

Camel was touring in support of their Mirage album, the New York City show was the first on their initial American tour.

This gig features Camel right as they are hitting their initial success in America – the tape sounds a little rough in spots (due to it being an FM broadcast, with not a strong signal to rely on), but the energy is undeniable.

No doubt fans of Prog and Camel know about this concert – but if you aren’t familiar with them, or have only heard about them in their recent incarnation, you might want to check out this earlier material.

They were a good band – and a great bunch of guys to boot.

Play reasonably loud and ignore the rough spots. (pastdaily.com)

Recorded live at Electric Ladyland Studios New York, NYC, 19th November 1974

Personnel:
Peter Bardens (keyboards)
Doug Ferguson (bass, vocals)
Andrew Latimer (guitar, vocals, flute)
Andy Ward (drums)

Alternate frontcover:

Tracklist:
01. Arubaluba (Bardens) 6:24
02. Nimrodel – Procession – White Rider (Latimer) 10:35
03. Six Ate (Latimer) 6:37
04. Lady Fantasy (Bardens/Ferguson/Latimer/Ward) 13:03
05. Homage To The God Of Light (Bardens) 14:02

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More from Camel:

Moe Koffman – Solar Explorations (1974)

Morris “Moe” Koffman, OC (28 December 1928 – 28 March 2001) was a Canadian jazz saxophonist and flautist, as well as composer and arranger. During a career spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s, Koffman was one of Canada’s most prolific musicians, working variously in clubs and sessions and releasing 30 albums.

With his 1957 record Cool and Hot Sax on the New York-based Jubilee label, Koffman became one of the first Canadian jazz musicians to record a full-length album.

Koffman was also a long-time member of Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass.

Koffman was born in Toronto to Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents operated a variety store. At the age of nine he began his musical studies in his native city, studying violin. He studied with Gordon Delamont, and later attended the Toronto Conservatory of Music, now the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto, where he was a student of Samuel Dolin.

Koffman dropped out of school when he found work performing in dance bands. In 1950, he moved to the United States, where he played with big bands including those of Sonny Dunham and Jimmy Dorsey. In 1955, he returned to Toronto where he formed a quartet and later a quintet. He recorded Swinging Shepherd Blues in 1957 which helped establish his reputation as a flautist. “Swinging Shepherd Blues” was a hit in the United States, reaching #38 on the Billboard pop chart and #23 on the UK Singles Chart.

Koffman was inspired by Rahsaan Roland Kirk to play multiple instruments at once; and had a modified set of straps to hold a tenor and an alto saxophone so that he could put forward incredible chords and improvise at the same time. One of the more famous session musicians in Toronto, he appeared in countless commercials, background music, and film and TV soundtracks. Most work on bass flute in Canadian soundtracks from 1950 to 1990 in Toronto sessions was done by Koffman on this rare instrument. Koffman was also an exponent of circular breathing techniques for his large volumes of sound, and joined fellow Canadian Maynard Ferguson and new age multi-instrumentalist musician Ron Allen in this talent.

During the 1970s, Koffman recorded several albums with arrangements of works by classical composers including Bach, Mozart and Vivaldi. The albums were released by GRT Canada and later by Universal. He also was a guest performer with a number of symphony orchestras across Canada.

He performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Peter Appleyard during the 1980s, as well as continuing to front the Moe Koffman Quintet. He often performed with Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass. From 1956 to 1990, Koffman booked performers for George’s Spaghetti House in Toronto, where he performed weekly. His compositions “Curried Soul” and “Koff Drops” have been used as the opening and closing themes respectively for the CBC radio show As It Happens since 1972.

He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1993 and inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1997.

Koffman was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2000, and died of cancer in Orangeville, Ontario in 2001 at the age of 72.[13] In 2002, Moe Koffman was a MasterWorks honouree by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada.

Some of Koffman’s music for Duke Street Records was unreleased at the time of his death. Music for the Night was released and re-issued in 2007, and Devil’s Brew was re-issued in 2009. (wikipedia)

Canadian Koffman made a great deal of really ordinary classical-themed music which I don’t want to call fusion, e.g. the album Moe Koffman Plays Bach which came out in the early 70s, then went all-out critically-unacclaimed bonkers with advanced modern composition and extreme, and I mean extreme music with orchestra and fusionary visions in the 1974 opus Solar Explorations. The music is very similar to Carlos Franzetti but far more out there, way out into the intergalactic space actually way past the orbit of ex-planet Pluto and even the Oort cloud. And the vacuum of critical acceptance must have been just so rewarding… explaining perhaps why this was his only really experimental album. (http://progressreview.blogspot.com)

Personnel:
Eugene Amaro (saxophone)
Guido Basso (trumpet)
Arnie Chycoski (trumpet)
Terry Clarke (drums)
Michael Craden (percussion)
Sonny Greenwich (guitar)
Keith Jollimore (saxophone)
Moe Koffman (flute, saxophone)
Bob Livingston (trombone)
Rob McConnell (tombone)
Ian McDougall (trombone)
Doug Riley (keyboards)
Fred Stone (trumpet)
Don Thompson (bass, piano on 02., 05. + 09.)
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Arnie Chycoski (trumpet on 03., 06.)
Rick Homme (bass on 04., 05., 08. + 09.)
Russ Little (trombone on 03.)
Claude Ranger (drums on 02., 03., 06. + 09.)
David Rosenboom (synthesizer on 07., violin on 08.)
Peter Schenkman (cello on 08.)
Al Stanwyck (trumpet on 03.)

Tracklist:
01. Saturn (Wilkins) 8.40
02. Earth (Riley) 11.06
03. Uranus (Stone) 7.39
04. Neptune (Koffman) 8.21
05. Mars (Riley) 6.40
06. Jupiter (Collier) 12.32
07. Venus (Koffman) 8.10
08. Pluto (Thompson) 6.16
09. Mercury (Thompson) 14.23

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Exmagma – Goldball (1974)

The EXMAGMA LPs usually get filed under Krautrock, but there’s nothing typically German in the way they develop their freeform experiments, that turn out to be well structured on the third hearing. No AMON DÜÜL freakouts, no metric rhythms à la CAN, and two albums that – though mostly instrumental – sound totally different. They’ve been often described as Jazz Rock, Fusion, or even Electronic Avant-Garde, but none of these pigeonholes could ever do them justice. Bored with YES, GENESIS, SUPERTRAMP and all the crap they nowadays try to sell you under “Symphonic-Prog”, they dropped some acid and set sail for new shores, weaponed only with sticks, strings and keys.

The two German members of the group were Thomas BALLUFF from MULI & THE MISFITS (a ’60s Mod-Soul band that depended on his Hammond B-3 grooves rather than on brass) and guitar and bass player Andy GOLDNER, who came from FIVE FOLD SHADE, Stuttgart’s premier R&B band in the PRETTY THINGS / YARDBIRDS category. Fred BRACEFUL, the late drummer, was born in Detroit and came to Germany with the US Army in the late ’50s. He was a well-paid free-lancer in the early ’60s, but never quite your standard jazz drummer who’d be content to build the backbone of a rhythm section. With like-minded keyboarder Wolgang DAUNER, he formed ET CETERA in 1970, a group that released one of the few real necessary and satisfying albums of a genre that we now know as Krautrock. (Back then we didn’t call it Kraut, and Rock without Roll is a four letter word anyway.) When DAUNER started flirting with the eight letter word (jazzrock, dummy!), BRACEFUL joined MAGMA, the band that changed to EXMAGMA after finding out about the French outfit of the same name. (The fact that EXMAGMA’s second LP was only released in France caused a lot of “who’s who” guessing among collectors, especially as the French MAGMA sound a lot more Teutonic than EXMAGMA.)

Right on, what about the music? The eponymous first LP, recorded in 72, reminds me a lot of the late ’60s SOFT MACHINE, taking a direction that probably wouldn’t have caused Robert WYATT to quit. There’s no sign of bombastic or pathetic ingredients, which makes comparisons with PINK FLOYD misleading (unless you saw them after “Ummagumma” but before “Atom Heart Mother”). One side live, one side studio, EXMAGMA are pouring it all out and leave it up to you. Recommended to open minded explorers or acid eaters. Budweisers won’t do the trick.
In early ’73 EXMAGMA toured France, where their sound experiments were well received (though they always devided an audience to pro and contra factions) and stayed there for about two years. “Goldball” was recorded in Conny PLANK’s sudio near Cologne, but only released on the tiny French label Urus.

While the debut was floating like a raft on sometimes stormy sea, this one grooves like HENDRIX jamming with Miles DAVIS, teaching each other “Dolly Dagger” and “Bitches Brew”. (If you’ve ever heard Miles DAVIS play the organ instead of the trumpet, you’ll know what I mean.) The second LP definitely is the more accessible record, but still a well deserved shock to those who associate groove with jazzrock. The spirit is Rock’n’Roll, the approach is improvisation. If you expect fusion, prepare for confusion. It’s the kind of record that makes me curse myself for not arranging my collection alphabetically, I don’t know where to put it thematically.

It’s yet another bundle of joy with lots of good vocals and weird as they are, songs that sometimes rock like hell. This, their most aggressive and mature epic, stayed in the can because their record company insisted on stripping the double album concept to a single LP. The band refused back then, but the two remaining members found a keen little company (sic!) 26 years later and “Exmagma3” will be out on Daily Records in the near future. Till then, have a whiff of their drug rock fusion, if you dare. If you need a taster, go to the CD compilation of German underground bands, “Obscured By Krauts”. (Werner Voran, Ugly Things Magazine; liner notes taken from the 2003 CD release of “Exmagma & Goldball”)

Why this artist must be listed in http://www.progarchives.com :
With a sound somewhere between the SOFT MACHINE and, say, AMON DÜÜL II, EXMAGMA provide us with a slightly psychedelic form of Jazzrock, including hints of Krautrock. Their experimental compositions, ranging from lengthy improvised pieces to short, quirky tracks, leave me with no doubt to conclude that this is indeed a progressive rock band, worthy of inclusion.

And here´s their second album:
If you love krautrock dementia and jazz rock fusion eccentries this album is for you. Exmagma is a captivating german rock collective that published only two albums in their entire career but believe me all their compositions are highly inspired, catchy, playful and cearly accomplished in term of technical skills. This second album is as brilliant as their first, delivering an impressive free form jazzy rock with lot of energy and an immense feeling for improvisation. Marylin f Kennedy starts with a trippy, stoned jazz rockin’ epic ballad. An atmospheric acid piece that combines a perfectly achieved sense of improvisation with a solid rhythmical background. Adventures With Long S.tea & 25 Two Seconds Before Sunrise are moving jazzy rockin’ improvisation plenty of Hammond organs, moving hallucinatory harmonies and efficient rythms. Some tracks as Groove Tango Wolperaiso and Greetings To The Maroccan Farmers feature rock in opposition sense of derision and a particular taste for avant garde. Compositions as Jam Factory For People Insane or Last But One Train To Amsterdam represent the band at their most progressive moments, with incredibly technical improvisations and constant changing moods. This band almost beat Embryo, Kraan and others kraut-jazz fusion at their own game. Supreme stuff! My favourite kraut-jazz-psych band with Xhol and Annexus Quam. (by Philippe Blache)

Personnel:
Thomas Balluff (keyboards, effects, trumpet, flute, voice)
Fred Braceful (drums, percussion, trumpet)
Andy Goldner (bass, guitar, saxophone, tape recorder, voice)

Tracklist:
01. Marilyn F. Kennedy (Braceful/Goldner/Balluff) 2.29
02. Dada (Goldner) 3.36
03. Adventures With Long S.Tea (Goldner) 2.51
04. 25 Two Seconds Before Sunrise (Goldner) – 4:50
05. Groove (Braceful/Goldner/Balluff) 4.51
06. Tango Wolperaiso (Braceful/Goldner/Balluff) 2.35
06. Jam Factory (For People Insane) (Andy Goldner) 4.03
07. Habits (Goldner) 5.57
08. Dance Of The Crabs (Goldner) 0.52
09. Greetings To The Maroccan Farmers (Braceful/Goldner/Balluff) 6.38
10. Last But One Train To Amsterdam (Andy Goldner) 0.57

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Fred Braceful (2 May 1938 in Detroit, USA, – 6 March 1995 in Munich, Germany):

The official website:

Ry Cooder – Live At The Bottom Line (1974)

Ryland Peter “Ry” Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, and his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.

Cooder’s solo work draws upon many genres. He has played with John Lee Hooker, Captain Beefheart, Taj Mahal, Gordon Lightfoot, Ali Farka Touré, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Linda Ronstadt, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, David Lindley, The Chieftains, The Doobie Brothers, and Carla Olson and The Textones (on record and film). He formed the band Little Village, and produced the album Buena Vista Social Club (1997), which became a worldwide hit; Wim Wenders directed the documentary film of the same name (1999), which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000.

Cooder was ranked at No. 8 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2003 list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”, while a 2010 list by Gibson Guitar Corporation placed him at No. 32. In 2011, he published a collection of short stories called Los Angeles Stories. (wikipedia)

Whether serving as a session musician, solo artist, or soundtrack composer, Ry Cooder’s chameleon-like guitar virtuosity, songwriting, and choice of cover material encompass an incredibly eclectic range of North American musical styles from rock & roll, blues, reggae, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, Dixieland jazz, country, folk, R&B, gospel, and vaudeville. Cooder is also an unofficial American cultural ambassador who was partially responsible for bringing together the Cuban musicians known globally as the Buena Vista Social Club. (by Steve Huey)

Ry Cooder, live at the Bottom Line in New York on May 16th, 1974. By 1974, Ry Cooder was firmly established as one of America’s leading guitarists and arrangers. This superb live set was broadcast on WNYU-FM, just after the release of his classic Paradise and Lunch album (1974), and finds him tackling a typically eclectic range of material.(taken from the original liner notes)

…Live At The Bottom Line” is the release of a sensational performance by Ry Cooder in NY in 1974.
He had just delivered his masterpiece “Paradise & Lunch” when the US radio station WNYU-FM asked him to come on stage for an evening solo performance. The master didn’t let himself be asked twice and told stories of Steinbeck’s dimension in duo with his Bottleneck.

Woody Guthrie and Sleepy John Estes sent their regards. Not a single weak point among the ten titles presented – all of them musical storytelling at the highest level.
With this recording, a lost treasure has clearly been retrieved from the Roots box.
Press quality of the – by the way excellent sounding – 180g LP: Impeccable, no crackles, no corrugation, so all around a success … Absolutely recommendable! (by Friedrich Wurm)

In other words: A man and his guitar: Ry Cooder !

Recorded live at the Bottom Line in New York on May 16th, 1974
excellent broadcast recording

Personnel:
Ry Cooder (vocals, guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Too Tight Blues No.2 8Blake) 3.29
02. FDR In Trinidad (McLean) 4.53
03. The Tattler (Phillips/Cooder/Titelman) 5.47
04. Crazy About An Automobile (Emerson) 4.48
05. I Can Tell By The Way You Smell (Davis) 3.24
06. Kentucky Blues (Jones) 4,43
07. One Meatball (Singer/Zaret) 1.36
08. How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live? (Reed) 7.58
09. Preacher (Davis) 2.51
10. Vigilante Man (Guthrie) 4.04.

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More from Ry Cooder:

The official website:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Anaheim (FM 1974-02-02) (1990)

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in April 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitar and producer) and Carl Palmer (drums and percussion). With nine RIAA-certified gold record albums in the US, and an estimated 48 million records sold worldwide, they were one of the most popular and commercially successful progressive rock bands in the 1970s, with a musical sound including adaptations of classical music with jazz and symphonic rock elements, dominated by Emerson’s flamboyant use of the Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, and piano (although Lake wrote several acoustic songs for the group).

The band came to prominence following their performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970. In their first year, the group signed with E.G. Records (who distributed the band’s records through Island Records in the United Kingdom, and Atlantic Records in North America), and released Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970) and Tarkus (1971), both of which reached the UK top five. The band’s success continued with Pictures at an Exhibition (1971), Trilogy (1972), and Brain Salad Surgery (1973, released on ELP’s own Manticore Records label). After a three-year break, Emerson, Lake & Palmer released Works Volume 1 (1977) and Works Volume 2 (1977). After Love Beach (1978), the group disbanded in 1979.

The band reformed partially in the 1980s as Emerson, Lake & Powell featuring Cozy Powell in place of Palmer, who was by then, a member of Asia. Robert Berry then replaced Lake while Palmer returned, forming 3. In 1991, the original trio reformed and released two more albums, Black Moon (1992) and In the Hot Seat (1994), and toured at various times between 1992 and 1998. Their final performance took place in 2010 at the High Voltage Festival in London to commemorate the band’s 40th anniversary. Both Emerson and Lake died in 2016,leaving Palmer as the only surviving member of the band. (wikipedia)

And here´s a brilliant bootleg from 1974:

I think the year 1974 was the last year in which Emerson, Lake & Palmer were really good … the later years were actually rather insignificant, unimportant.

Source:
King Biskit Flower Hour Broadcast on KMET-FM Los Angeles in 1974 (original reel-to-reel tape) and King Biskit Flower Hour Broadcast on KLSX-FM Los Angeles in 1996 (VHS Hi-Fi Tape)
Sound quality better on 1996 Re-broadacast, s this version used for songs included on both broadcasts, 1974 recording used for songs not included in re-broadcast (Piano Improvisations, full-length Karn Evil #9).

Recorded live at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, 02 February 1974
FM Broadcast Recording (combined from KBFH 1974 original and 1996 re-broadcast),
very good broadcast recording

Personnel:
Keith Emerson (keyboards)
Greg Lake (bass, guitar, vocals)
Carl Palmer (drums, percussion)

Tracklist:
01. Hoedown (Copland) 4.17
02. Tiger In A Spotlight (Emerson/Lake/Palmer/Sinfield) 4.16
03. C’est La Vie (Lake) 4.14
04. Still… You Turn Me On (Lake) 3.14
05. Lucky Man (Lake) 2.46
06. Piano Improvisations (Emerson) 7.14
07. Tank (from “Tarkus”) (Emerson/Palmer) 3.16
08. Karn Evil # 9 (First Impression Part 1) (Emerson/Lake) 8.22
09. Karn Evil # 9 (First Impression Part 2) (Emerson/Lake) 3.00
10. Drum Solo (Palmer) 4.12
11. Karn Evil # 9 (First Impression Part 2 – Reprise) (Emerson/Lake) 1.43
12. Karn Evil # 9 (Second Impression Part 1) (Emerson/Lake) 2.00
13. Karn Evil # 9 (Second Impression Part 2) (Emerson/Lake) 4.23
14. Karn Evil # 9 (Third Impression) (Emerson/Lake) 9.52
15. Fanfare For The Common Man (Copland) 8.24

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More from Emerson, Lake & Palmer:

The official website:

Keith Emerson:
02 November 1944 – 11 March 2016

Greg Lake:
10 November 1947 – 07 December 2016

Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra – Carmina Burana (Carl Orff) (1974)

Although his fame rests on the success of a single work, the famous and frequently commercially mutilated Carmina Burana, Carl Orff was in fact a multi-faceted musician and prolific composer who wrote in many styles before developing the primal, driving language which informs his most famous work. In addition to his fame as the creator of Carmina burana, Orff enjoyed international renown as the world’s pre-eminent authority on children’s music education, his life’s work in that area represented by Musik für Kinder, five eclectic collections of music to be performed by children, eventually developing into a more extensive series known as Orff Schulwerk.

Born in 1895 to an old Bavarian family, Orff studied piano and cello while still a young boy. He later studied at the Munich Academy of Music, graduating in 1914. The music that he composed during this period shows the influence of several composers, including Debussy and Richard Strauss. In 1914, Orff was appointed Kapellmeister at the Munich Kammerspiele, where he remained until joining the military in 1917.

Discharged from service the following year, Orff continued to work as a conductor, accepting further positions in Mannheim and Darmstadt during the 1918-1919 seasons. Returning to Munich in 1919, Orff studied composition privately with Heinrich Kaminski while supporting himself as a teacher. In 1924, he founded the Güntherschule for music and dance with Dorothee Günther, dedicating himself to making musical performance accessible to children. Under his guidance, an entire orchestra of special “Orff instruments” was designed, enabling children to play music without formal training. The following year, Orff made three stage adaptations of works by Monteverdi. Continuing his work in the area of Baroque music, Orff became conductor of the Munich Bach society in 1930, a position he held until 1933. The experience of performing Baroque music, particularly sacred works for the stage, convinced Orff that an effective musical performance must fuse music, words and movement, a goal no doubt partly inspired by his work with the Güntherschule. Orff embodied his conception of music in the fabulously successful Carmina Burana (1937), which in many ways defined him as a composer.

Based on an important collection of Latin and German Goliard poems found in the monastery of Benediktbeuren, this work exemplifies Orff’s search for an idiom that would reveal the elemental power of music, allowing the listener to experience music as an overwhelming, primitive force. Goliard poetry, which not only celebrates love and wine, but also pokes fun at the clergy, perfectly suited Orff’s desire to create a musical work appealing to a fundamental musicality that, as he believed, every human being possesses. Eschewing melodic development and harmonic complexity, and articulating his musical ideas through basic sonorities and easily discernible rhythmic patterns, Orff created an idiom which many found irresistible. The perceived “primitivism” of Carmina burana notwithstanding, Orff believed that the profound appeal of music is not merely physical.

This belief is reflected by many other works, including musical dramas based on Greek tragedies, namely, Antigonae (1949), Oedipus der Tyrann (1959), and Prometheus (1966). These works, as well as some compositions on Christian themes, followed the composer’s established dramatic and compositional techniques, but failed to repeat the tremendous success of Carmina burana. His last work, De temporum fine comoedia (A Comedy About the End of Time) premiered at the 1973 Salzburg Festival. Nine years later, Carl Orff died in Munich, where he had spent his entire life. (allmusic.com)

Carmina Burana is a cantata composed in 1935 and 1936 by Carl Orff, based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Carmina Burana. Its full Latin title is Carmina Burana: Cantiones profanae cantoribus et choris cantandae comitantibus instrumentis atque imaginibus magicis (“Songs of Beuern: Secular songs for singers and choruses to be sung together with instruments and magical images”). It was first performed by the Oper Frankfurt on 8 June 1937. It is part of Trionfi, a musical triptych that also includes Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite. The first and last sections of the piece are called “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi” (“Fortune, Empress of the World”) and start with “O Fortuna”.

“The Wheel of Fortune” from the Codex Buranus:

In 1934, Orff encountered the 1847 edition of the Carmina Burana by Johann Andreas Schmeller, the original text dating mostly from the 11th or 12th century, including some from the 13th century. Michel Hofmann [de] was a young law student and an enthusiast of Latin and Greek; he assisted Orff in the selection and organization of 24 of these poems into a libretto, mostly in secular Latin verse, with a small amount of Middle High German[1] and Old French. The selection covers a wide range of topics, as familiar in the 13th century as they are in the 21st century: the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemeral nature of life, the joy of the return of Spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling, and lust.

Carmina Burana is structured into five major sections, containing 25 movements in total. Orff indicates attacca markings between all the movements within each scene.

Much of the compositional structure is based on the idea of the turning Fortuna Wheel. The drawing of the wheel found on the first page of the Burana Codex includes four phrases around the outside of the wheel:

Regnabo, Regno, Regnavi, Sum sine regno.
(I shall reign, I reign, I have reigned, I am without a realm).

Within each scene, and sometimes within a single movement, the wheel of fortune turns, joy turning to bitterness, and hope turning to grief. “O Fortuna”, the first poem in the Schmeller edition, completes this circle, forming a compositional frame for the work through being both the opening and closing movements.

Orff subscribed to a dramatic concept called “Theatrum Mundi” in which music, movement, and speech were inseparable. Babcock writes that “Orff’s artistic formula limited the music in that every musical moment was to be connected with an action on stage. It is here that modern performances of Carmina Burana fall short of Orff’s intentions.” Orff subtitled Carmina Burana a “scenic cantata” in his intention to stage the work with dance, choreography, visual design and other stage action; the piece is now usually performed in concert halls as a cantata.

A danced version of Carmina Burana was choreographed by Loyce Houlton for the Minnesota Dance Theatre in 1978. In honour of Orff’s 80th birthday, an acted and choreographed film version was filmed, directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle for the German broadcaster ZDF; Orff collaborated in its production.

Orff’s style demonstrates a desire for directness of speech and of access. Carmina Burana contains little or no development in the classical sense, and polyphony is also conspicuously absent. Carmina Burana avoids overt harmonic complexities, a fact which many musicians and critics have pointed out, such as Ann Powers of The New York Times.

Orff was influenced melodically by late Renaissance and early Baroque models including William Byrd and Claudio Monteverdi. It is a common misconception that Orff based the melodies of Carmina Burana on neumeatic melodies; while many of the lyrics in the Burana Codex are enhanced with neumes, almost none of these melodies had been deciphered at the time of Orff’s composition, and none of them had served Orff as a melodic model.[6][7] His shimmering orchestration shows a deference to Stravinsky. In particular, Orff’s music is very reminiscent of Stravinsky’s earlier work, Les noces (The Wedding).

Rhythm, for Orff as it was for Stravinsky, is often the primary musical element. Over all, it sounds rhythmically straightforward and simple, but the metre will change freely from one measure to the next. While the rhythmic arc in a section is taken as a whole, a measure of five may be followed by one of seven, to one of four, and so on, often with caesura marked between them. These constant rhythmic changes combined with the caesura create a very “conversational” feel – so much so that the rhythmic complexities of the piece are often overlooked.

Some of the solo arias pose bold challenges for singers: the only solo tenor aria, Olim lacus colueram, is often sung almost completely in falsetto to demonstrate the suffering of the character (in this case, a roasting swan). The baritone arias often demand high notes not commonly found in baritone repertoire, and parts of the baritone aria Dies nox et omnia are often sung in falsetto, a unique example in baritone repertoire. Also noted is the solo soprano aria, Dulcissime which demands extremely high notes. Orff intended this aria for a lyric soprano, not a coloratura, so that the musical tensions would be more obvious. (wikipedia)

Enjoy this masterpiece of modern classic music, based on poems from the Middle Age … just wonderful !

Personnel:
Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra condictedd by Kurt Prestel
+
Richard Brunner (tenor)
Gerda Hartmann (sopran)
Rudolfo Knoll (baritone)

Tracklist:

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi:
01. O Fortuna 2.46
02. Fortune Plango Vulnera 2.50

Primo Vere:
03. Veris Leta Facies 3.37
04. Omnia Sol Temperat 2.08
05. Ecce Gratum 2.57

Uf dem Anger:
06. Tanz 1.48
07. Floret Silva Noblis 3.50
08. Chramer, gip die Varwe mir 3.43
09. Reie – Swaz Hie Gat Umbe 1.03
10. Were Diu Werltalle Min 1.37

In Taberna:
11. Estuans Interius 1.55
12. Olim Lacus Colueram 0.39
13. Ego Sum Abbas 1.01
14. In Taberna Quando Sumus 2.59

Cour d’Amours:
15. Amor Volat Undique 3.20
16. Dies, Nox Et Omnia 1.28
17. Stetit Puella 3.24
18. Circa Mea Pectora 3.29
19. Si Puer Cum Puellula 2.24
20. Veni, Veni, Venias 2.28
21. In Trutina 2.28
22. Tempus Est Iocundum 1.00
23. Dulcissime 1.03

Blanziflor And Helena:
24. Ave Formosissima 2.18

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi:
25. O Fortuna 2.47

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The official website: