Boomerang Ensemble – Мираж = Mirage (1986, LP, USSR)

Tracklist:
A1 Полет Беркута • A Golden Eagle's Flight 8:16
A2 Лавка Чудес • Curiosity Shop 11:12
B Мираж • Mirage 15:23

Musicians:
Bass Guitar – Фархад Ибрагимов (A1, A2)
Drums, Percussion, Directed By – Тахир Ибрагимов
Guitar, Sitar – Василий Раббе
Piano – Михаил Ермолов (A1, B)
Synthesizer – В. Стригоцкий
Synthesizer, Electric Piano – Фархад Мусанбаев (A2)
Tabla – Владимир Мусаилов
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Батырхан Шукенов (A2)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Валерий Баннов

A "holy grail" of Soviet-era Jazz-Fusion from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Released on the Melodiya label, this masterpiece led by drummer Takhir Ibragimov is a sophisticated blend of Progressive Rock, experimental fusion, and Central Asian ethnic influences.

The album features a unique sonic landscape where Sitar and Tabla meet deep funky grooves and soaring Saxophone solos. A must-listen for collectors of rare World Fusion and fans of experimental jazz-rock.

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Argo – Šviesa (1983, LP, USSR)

Tracklist:
A1 Pasaulis Vis Dar Noksta Manyje = The World Inside Me Is Awake 8:04
A2 Su Tavo Šypsena Nebesuspėju = Playing With The Sun 3:30
A3 Ir Šviesumas Gi Tos Dienos = The Day Is So Bright 7:38
B1 Ateik Ir Nueik = Awaking Of Our Senses 7:41
B2 Gyvenimo Švelnus Prisiglaudimas = The Ray's Tender Touch 9:32
B3 Regiu Gyvybę Šviečiant = On Seeing The Light Of Life 2:08

Musicians:
Bass Guitar – Artūras Kuznecovas
Chorus – "Ąžuoliukas" ("Oakling"), A Group Of The Boys' Chorus (A1, B3)
Drums – Arūnas Mikuckis
Guitar – Linas Pečiūra
Synthesizer – Julius Vilnonis
Synthesizer, Leader – Giedrius Kuprevičius
Vocals – Gintaras Kizevičius (A2, A3, B2)

VSP Projekt – VSP Projekt (1989, CD, Estonia/USSR)

Tracklist:
1 Mees Sarvega = Man With A Horn 4:47
2 Oktoober, Oktoober = October, October 5:17
3 Tuulepealne = Windswept Land 6:55
4 Mäluäng = Anguish Of Memories 5:02
5 Hilineja = Latecomer 8:40
6 Kuulaps = Moon Child 2:14

Musicians:
Bass – Raul Vaigla
Drums, Percussion – Andrus Vaht
Guitar – Riho Sibul
Keyboards – Aare Põder, Sven Grünberg (3, 6)

Юрий Морозов/Yuri Morozov - Неизъяснимое/Inexplicable (1978, USSR)

Tracklist:
A1 Неизъяснимое (part 1)
A2 Неизъяснимое (part 2)
A3 Неизъяснимое (part 3)
A4 Неизъяснимое (part 4)
B1 Неизъяснимое (part 5)

 
Yuri Vasilyevich Morozov (Russian: Юрий Морозов, March 6, 1948 -- February 24, 2006), was a Russian rock Multi-instrumentalist, sound engineer and composer. He created his own style using Progressive rock, Psychedelic rock, Experimental music, Folk music, Jazz and many more.

Фирюза ‎– Фирюза | Firyuza (1979, LP, USSR) Definitive Re-Up!

September 15, 2008 post

March 21, 2018 post

[flac+mp3@320]

Kostarev Group ‎– Works 1978-2006 (2006, CD, USSR)

The ultra-long stint and some three decades of history of Kostarev were finally taped in an archival album in 2006, ''Works 1978 - 2006'' (private), which contains pieces, spanning from Kostarev's baby steps back in late-70's and ends up in the opening track, which was recorded in 2006. Kostarev's diversity, instrumental ability and pure talent are all taped in this sound document, which overly sounds a bit heavier and dark compared to the previous live release, but is largely based on the same fundamentals, having a wide team of musicians, handling keyboards, flutes, strings, saxes and so on. This is an all instrumental work of technical Prog Fusion with symphonic and Avant Garde/ R.I.O. touches, technically reaching the highest of levels, not forgetting to offer some splendid moments of top musical construction and more mellow interplays. Excellent interplays between guitar, sax, flute, violin and cello with some very good keyboard smashing and synth torturing. Almost chaotic at moments, still very good in its own way, starting from rhythmic parts and folky surroundings to end up in monster Fusion instrumental battles and super-proggy textures. A tad less jazzy than ''Live@InProg'', almost equally interesting. apps79

In Spe ‎– In Spe (1983, LP/ CD, USSR)

Songs / Tracks Listing

Side 1
1. Symphony for Seven Performers (E.-S. Tüür)
a) Ostium (4:27)
b) Illuminatio (6:35)
c) Mare Vitreum (8:30)
Side 2
2. Antidolorosum (E.S. Tüür - A. Alliksaar) (4:47)
3. The Sunboat (E.-S. Tüür) (9:00)
4. The Fight of the Spheres (E.-0S.Tüür) (7:20)

Recorded 1982, Tallinn City Hall studios
Sound engineer, CD-mastering: Priit Kuulberg
Layout: Atko Januson
Cover image: Emil Lausmäe
Executive producer: Tiia Teder
(Previously released on 1983 by Melodija, C60 19367 001)
© 1999 Estonian Radio ERCD 028

Line-up / Musicians
Peeter Brambat / flute, tenor recorder
Toivo Kopli / bass guitar
Priit Kuulberg / digital normalizer, roland vocoder
Mart Metsala / Prophet 5, Roland Jupiter 8, Hammond, VLM
Riho Sibul / guitars
Anne Tüür / Fender Rhodes, Yamaha electric grand piano
Erkki-Sven Tüür / Mini moog, Prophet 5, Roland Jupiter 8, Flute, Soprano recorder, Vocal
Arvo Urb / Drums




Eesti Raadio ‎– ERCD-028 

more info

In Spe biography
In Spe has an interesting story. It is essentially two different, high-quality, bands. Both versions reflecting the vision of an enigmatic leader. The first incarnation was founded by Erkki-Sven Tüür, who has gone on to be be one of the top classical composers in the world. He set out to create music called chamber rock (sound familliar?). With the help of drummer Arvo Urb, guitarist Riho Sibul, keyboardist Mart Metsala, bass player Toivo Kopli, Flautist Peeter Brambat, and his wife Anne Tüür on piano, the first band was formed.

The band played gigs, and recorded, all the while building a stellar reputation. In 1983 they released the highly acclaimed, yet rare, self-titled debut. This, along with their existing notoriety, would form the basis of them being seen as the godfathers of Estonian prog. Some refer to it as one of the best prog recordings of all time. Being largely instrumental was a blessing in disguise. It didn't have as much trouble getting by Soviet censors as vocal recordings of the time. Still, only 3000 copies were made.

The band would take a drastic turn near the end of 1983, as Tüür left to study music full time. Enter keyboardist, and music student, Alo Mattiisen. His jazzy style would change the direction of the band, but not diminish the quality. Under his leadership they released anther album (also self-titled), featuring the eclectic "Typewriter Concerto in D." The piece actually uses a manual typewriter as a percussion instrument. This album enjoyed a much larger distribution than its predecessor. Which also led to some confusion. People who had heard the tales of the first release, were faced with something quite different.

Mattiisen rose to become a national hero, by writing music for Estonia's Singing Revolution.

The recordings are available, but still rare. The 1994 Musea release of the second album is said to be of poor quality. In 1999 the first album was released on CD, and some of Mattiisen's rock operas (performed by In Spe) were released in 2000. (Progarchives)

Фирюза ‎[Firyuza] – Фирюза Инструментальный ансамбль Фирюза (1979, LP, USSR/ Turkmenistan) Repost!

Firyuza was a Turkmenian ethnic/prog/jazz/fusion instrumental band, founded in 1979 in USSR under the artistic direction of pianist and organist Dmitry Sablin. Firyuza won the first prize at The Sixth All-Union Entertainers Competition (VI Всесоюзный конкурс артистов эстрады) in Leningrad, thus gaining a privilege to release an album on Melodiya.
The eponymous album was very progressive, blending improvised prog-rock and psychedelic jazz fusion with strong ethnic flavors. Seven band members imitated sounds of traditional Turkmen instruments, such as dutar, dili tuiduk, and g'ijjak, on regular keyboards, guitars, saxophone, flute, and violin.
As an instrumental group, especially with a favorable image of a "national ethnic ensemble from one of the Soviet republics" (hence the band members wearing traditional telpek fur hats on the cover), Firyuza got a pass on censorship and were provided with a full artistic freedom. Just the fact that the album has a classic prog-style format with only four 8-min tracks is noteworthy enough for a record released in USSR in the 1970s.
The record was pressed in Tashkent, at the plant which had been producing some of the smallest Melodiya editions, and never got re-issued. That's why original copies in decent condition are very rare nowadays, bumping the price up to $500-600 and making Firyuza one of the "holy grails" of Soviet psych jazz from Central Asia among Western record collectors, together with Gunesh and Dos-Mukasan LPs.
In 1980, the band also released a split tape with Gunesh (Melodiya, CM 00833), which included three tracks from the album. "Firyuza" was placed on a list of 50 vinyl records to be re-released as a part of 50-th Melodiya anniversary in 2014.

Side A
A1. Ашхабад (Ashkhabad) (7:43)
A2. Край Родной (Native Land) (9:46)
Side B
B1. Чапыксуар (Chapyksuar) (8:33)
B2. Диалог В Ауле (Dialog In Aul) (7:44)

Dmitry Sablin – piano, organ
Evgeniy Nochevny – guitar
Mikhail Mamedov – guitar
Sabir Rizayev – saxophone, flute
Alik Niyachenko – bass guitar
Igor Gordeev – drums
Khana Ten - violin

Musicians

Дмитрий Саблин 〈Dmitry Sablin〉 - Piano, Organ

Игорь Гордеев (Igor Gordeev) - Drums

Евгений Ночевный (Evgeniy Nochevny) - Guitar

Михаил Мамедов (Mikhail Mamedov) - Guitar

Сабир Ризаев 〈Sabir Rizayev〉 - Saxophone, Flute
Алик Нифченко (Alec Nifchenko) - Bass

Хана Тэн (Khana Ten) - Violin

Гунеш / Gunesh Ensemble ‎– Вижу Землю / Looking At The Earth (1984, LP, USSR)

Founded in 1970 in Ashkhabad, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union, the band was established still in Soviet Turkmenistan as vocal band with some support musicians by Turkmenistan State Radio and TV company. Later more young musicians came to play and band's music became more modern. At that time characteristic style was formed as mix of traditional Central Asian mugams and jazz rock arrangements. With such music band participated in some popular festivals around Soviet Union, received some trophies and became popular. Their first LP was released in 1980 at soviet state label "Melodyja" and contained traditional central Asian music in jazz-rock arrangements plus Vietnamese singer. Second LP was released after 4 years. Music there was more modern, and it became very popular all around the country. Later these two LP's were re-released on "Rishad Shafi presents Gunesh" CD. Band participated in many jazz-festivals all around Eastern Europe, Africa and Central Asia. Second CD ( or third album) was recorded in 1990 only.
Line-up was changed many times, around 65 musicians have been a band's members in different time, and in fact soon became drummer Rishad Shafi and team of often changed musicians band.

Side A

A1. Байконур / Baikonur (5:02) 

A2. Бу Дерды / Bu Derdy (7:44) 

A3. Восточный Экспресс / Oriental Express (3:32)

Side B

B1. Ритмы Кавказа / Rhythms Of The Caucasus (8:25) 

B2. Ветер С Берегов Ганга / Wind From The Gang (4:32) 

B3. Вьетнамские Фрески / Vietnamese Frescoes (4:20) 

Line-up / Musicians

Oleg Korolev / keyboards, group leader

Rishad Shafiev (Shafi) / drums, percussion

Mikhail Loguntsov / guitar, copus (komuz), hitar (dutar)

Vladimir Belousov / bass

Shamil Kurmanov / trumpet

Alexander Stasukevich / trumpet

Yusif Aliev / trombone

Stanislav Morozov / tenor saxophone

Vakhid Rizaev / soprano & alto saxophones

Hassan Mamedov / violin

Stepan Stepanyants / keyboards

Vezhlivy Otkaz -- Gusi lebedi [Polite Refusal/ Geese and Swans] (2010, USSR)

This Moscow sextet’s 2010 album is truly unique and excitingly unpredictable. Polite Refusal (aka Vezhlivy Otkaz) have been around since the mid-'80s Soviet years.

Now led by singer/ guitarist/ composer (and original member) Roman Suslov, they release albums infrequently -- their last arrived over seven years before this one. On the evidence of Geese and Swans (aka Gusi-Lebedi), it was well worth the wait. In the English-language liners of the edition distributed outside of Russia by AltrOck, writer Dmitry Ukhov says the band often performs "art songs rather than just songs," avoiding "the verse/refrain formula," but one might argue that's not really the case here. Suslov does sing verses and refrains, a structure that's not exactly groundbreaking, but even when the music doesn't stretch boundaries, his vocal delivery avoids the routine. He's a forceful, even riveting frontman (and killer guitarist on amplified acoustic), his voice capable of descending from a rocked-up tenor to a bluesy baritone, alternatingly melodic and declamatory, grainy and rough around the edges in perfect measure. He sings in strongly inflected Russian -- obviously incomprehensible for those who don't understand the language, but just the sound of his voice is enough to carry the day. And yet it's Suslov's music beyond the verses and refrains that truly elevates Geese and Swans. 

Of course, countless groups have used rock song forms to launch extended instrumental excursions -- prog rockers and jam bands have been plying such territory for decades. But rarely, if ever, quite like this.

Take "Road Song," for example. (Simply titled songs like the opening and closing instrumentals "March" and "Etude," along with "Road Song" and other numbers like "Blues" and "Time," almost present themselves as archetypes with an avant Russian spin.) After Suslov sings and picks his way through the indeed roadworthy intro, the song explodes. Suslov's guitar and Dmitry Shumilov's upright electric bass maintain the propulsion with an off-kilter ostinato line, while drummer Mikhail Mitin tumbles in free-bop mode, violinist Sergey Ryzhenko interjects pizzicato embellishments, and trumpeter Andrey Solovyov goes wild. It's almost as if the band has split apart, but pianist Pavel Karmanov -- harmonically and structurally adventurous à la Myra Melford throughout the disc -- links it all together with octaves that fragment and echo the tune's theme, and when the piano appears, Solovyov manages to interject responses into his own high-flying trumpet flurries. 

Then the band is suddenly back to the tune's beginning and the listener is left wondering how, through all of that, a tenuous thread of continuity was maintained. Elsewhere, the band tips more toward Russian folk and even blues-tinged avant-prog than avant jazz, more incisive and less improvisational than jazz and earthier than prog rock -- a better fit, perhaps, at a Rock in Opposition festival than a jazz festival (although kudos to any jazzfest that would manage to book them). The most immediately engaging tunes -- "Murka" and "Time," for example -- have a groove and momentum that won't let go, but even during the knottiest digressions from Suslov's core songs, the group's sheer musicality should demand and receive the respect of any open-minded music listener. 

("Suffering" -- with Karmanov on flute -- hews uncomfortably close to Jethro Tull, but nobody’s perfect.) What is this, then? A Russian folk-jazz-rock mash-up of King Crimson and Dave Douglas? Whatever it is, find this disc and prepare to be astounded.

Вежливый Отказ ‎– Гуси-Лебеди

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Марш / March (2:49)

2. Дорожная / Road Song (5:25)

3. Мурка / Murka (4:50)

4. Перевод / Transalation (Perevod) (7:57)

5. Страдания / Sufferings (3:35)

6. Тикирека / Flow River (Tikirika) (4:44)

7. Бурятская морская / Buryat Sea Song (6:16)

8. Блюз / Blues (5:55)

9. Время / Time (4:15)

10. LZ (4:04)

11. Этюд / Etude (3:44)

Total Time 53:34

Line-up / Musicians

- Roman Suslov / acoustic guitar, vocals, co-producer

- Pavel Karmanov / grand piano, flute, violin, vocals

- Sergey Ryzhenko / electric violin, vocals

- Andrey Solovyev / trumpet

- Dmitry Shumilov / bass, double bass, vocals

- Mikhail Mitin / drums, percussion

"The most recent release by Vezhlivyj Otkaz (Polite Refusal) is probably their most avant and accomplished release. The band has been around since the mid 80's but have been pretty much unknown outside of Russia. They started out as a punk / ska band and have continually evolved over the years to a dark edgy folky avant band that performs these days. Those of us in the West have AltrOck to thank for distributing these albums that were previously unavailable. The band is primarily an outlet for Roman Suslov the guitarist and vocalist.
The songs are of the short 3 to 7 minute variety and are generally lyrically based with guitar accented by wind and keys. Outstanding release and highly recommended." (progarchives)

VEZHLIVY OTKAZ Gusi lebedi

(www.arlequins.it)

Questo nome forse non vi dirà nulla ma per chi ha confidenza con la scena rock underground della fu Unione Sovietica si tratta di una vera e propria band di culto. Nulla a che vedere però con i gruppi rock sgangherati e ribelli che popolavano le cantine di Leningrado e Mosca in clandestinità. I Vezhlivy Otkaz (conosciuti anche come Polite Refusal), come spiega Roman Suslov (voce e chitarra acustica), hanno da sempre desiderato suonare musica orchestrale, solo che avevano a loro disposizione soltanto il pianoforte, la batteria e la chitarra. La loro musica è infatti eccentrica ma perfettamente strutturata, movimentata ma cameristica, complessa ma allo stesso tempo diretta e mordace.

La carriera dei Vezhlivy Otkaz inizia nel 1985 fra le pareti della facoltà di ingegneria e matematica dell’Università di Mosca. Qui Roman Suslov, Mikhail Vereshagin (basso), Mikhail Mitin (batteria), Peter Plavinskiy (tastierista e ideatore del nome della band) e Dmitriy Shumilov (voce) iniziano la loro avventura, mescolando il rock al jazz con arrangiamenti pseudo-classici. A questa formazione va aggiunto, ma solo nelle prime fasi di vita del gruppo, il poeta Arkadiy Semenov che crea i testi delle canzoni utilizzando complesse associazioni di parole che colpiscono per i loro suoni e per la loro musicalità. Questa caratteristica la ritroviamo costantemente nella musica della band e anche in questo nuovo lavoro, come vedremo. Capisco che il russo possa risultare indigesto per qualcuno di voi ma tutti possono comunque percepire il ritmo e la musicalità dei testi, pur non comprendendone il significato, che si mescolano armoniosamente alla musica.

Fra il 1985 ed il 1986 la band registra il primo magnetoalbum, cioè un album clandestino su nastro, che si intitola “Opera”. Con la Perestroika il gruppo riesce a trovare diverse occasioni per farsi vedere dal vivo ed il risultato della loro popolarità è il cosiddetto “album bianco”, il disco omonimo stampato per l’etichetta di stato Melodiya nel 1989. Il periodo post sovietico si apre con “I-I-raz”, un disco molto particolare in cui ogni pezzo si ispira ad un tipo di danza e in cui la band sfoggia uno stile più maturo e definito. Nella ricca discografia dei Vezhlivy Otkaz, che comprende anche diverse opere dal vivo, mi piace infine citare, prima di entrare nel vivo della recensione, il loro apice artistico che è l’album “Kosa na kamen” (“falce su pietra”, espressione che in italiano equivale al modo di dire “a brigante, brigante e mezzo”), uscito nel 1997. Di questo album, “Gusi lebedi” (oche cigni) riprende il taglio avanguardistico e cameristico ed ovviamente un uso delle parti vocali molto musicale con assonanze che creano bellissimi contrasti con la musica.

Rispetto agli esordi la formazione si è col tempo rimodellata, grazie anche all’aggiunta di nuovi strumenti che portano dei piacevoli arricchimenti timbrici, anche se la base portante è sempre costituita dal piano, dalla batteria e dalla voce. In questo nuovo album, assieme ai veterani Mikhail Mitin, Dmitri Shumilov (che ora suona basso acustico e contrabbasso) e Roman Suslov, troviamo Pavel Karmanov al pianoforte a coda e al flauto, Sergey Rizhenko al violino elettrico e voce e Andrei Solovev, tromba e voce. Lo stile del gruppo è immediatamente riconoscibile e in questo album appare particolarmente accattivante ed interessante grazie a spartiti variegati e movimentati, soprattutto per quel che riguarda le parti di piano, e mi verrebbe quasi da dire che il vertice di “Kosa na kamen” è stato raggiunto o addirittura superato.

Troverete qui una meravigliosa miscela di musica da camera, prevalentemente acustica, con una struttura rock e contaminazioni col jazz, con una voce solistica molto caratteristica e teatrale, che non si limita a recitare ma costruisce delle vere e proprie linee melodiche che vengono riprese continuamente dalla musica, e in più i fiati ed il violino che vengono ad intrecciarsi in maniera raffinata agli strumenti principali. Possiamo percepire anche dei richiami al folk russo, ma questi, mascherati nel contesto di una formula orchestrale e cameristica, non appaiono immediatamente evidenti ma possono essere scovati nel modo di cantare o in alcune formule ripetitive e in certi ritmi, in alcuni particolari insomma che difficilmente possono essere inquadrati da un orecchio non allenato. Fornirvi dei paragoni con altri gruppi? Semplicemente impossibile. Non vi resterà che ascoltare questo che per me è indiscutibilmente il disco del 2010. Vi avverto però di un piccolo problema,:dovrete sudare un po’ per avere questo album (lo potete trovare indicato col titolo inglese “Geese and Swans”), che tra l’altro ha tutte le note di copertina solo in russo, ma ne vale la pena, soprattutto se amate la musica colta ed originale.

Marimba Plus - Flight Over The World (2013, CD, USSR)

Marimba Plus is the first and the unique music band from Russia in which marimba is the leading instrument and the creativity basis.

Вежливый Отказ [Vezhlivy Otkaz] ‎– Гуси-Лебеди (2010, CD, Russia)

Apparently this is entitled "Geese Swans", though please don't take this as gospel. On this album, long-standing Russian folksters Polite Refusal take a more rhythmic approach. Starting with some bouncy Russian folk in the first piece (I'm guessing? I'm not well-versed in such music), by the second piece we're thrust well into avant-jazz-rock-in-opposition territory.

There are shades of Zamla Mammaz Manna, Thinking Plague and Henry Cow all over this album. Musicianship is excellent throughout, accessibility is thrown out the window, and the result is a difficult but fascinating listen. This is not full of jamming, this is highly-composed rock music from a very, very unusual angle, and there are often moments such as the main hook of Мурка that are very memorable even on the first few listens. The vocals may divide some listeners, but they are powerful, restrained, occasionally outrageous and always intriguing. Some lovely piano work scattered around, too. Fascinating stuff.