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VA - Oz Days Live (2007)


For a long time, this record was a Japanese psych holy grail, originally a super limited double lp, later a double cd, originally released to commemorate the closing of a club in Tokyo called Oz, where presumably all of these bands were recorded. The main reason this was such a sought after artifact is no doubt the presence of not one, but TWO all time Japanese psychedelic legends, Les Rallizes Denudes and Taj Mahal Travelers. In fact those of is who did manage to track down a copy, never even really listened to the first disc, since the second disc was so goddamn good. And odds are, most aQ Japanese psych obsessives stopped reading about two sentences ago and lunged for the 'add to cart' button. Cuz while this is/was quite a rarity, we just discovered a source for a bunch of copies, incredibly cheap too, and snapped 'em up, cuz we figured that there were enough folks out there like us, who would definitely be keen on more from either/both TMT and Les Rallizes.

Juts in case you actually need to know what it sounds like (as if you couldn't guess), Les Rallizes offer up their usual dose of super distorted psychedelic blues, opening with a droned out guitar thing, before slipping into a surprisingly pretty and folky, and distortion free bit of strum and croon, might be a big surprise for Les Rallizes fans out there, in fact it almost sounds like a Japanese Grateful Dead, until about the last minute, when the guitars come out, offering up a surprisingly, sweetly distorted lead. The second track too, opens up with a wild squall of distorted guitar, only to slip right back into mesmerizing bit of dirgey folky drone rock, this time sounding more like the Velvets, with some seriously emotional wailed vox and more sweet psychedelic leads. And then finally, the appropriately titled "The Last One", find the band returning to much noisier distorted realms, thick wandering basslines, super distorted guitar crunch, pounding drums, an explosive intro, and while the rest of the song dials it back again, it's awesomely dirgey and droney, laced with lots of tangled guitars and swaths of distortion.


Taj Mahal Travelers do what they do best, unfurling a long minimal dronescape, all sawed violin, distant chanted vocals, swirling muted melodies, wheezing harmonicas, all blurred into lush sonic swells, Kosugi's violin driving the sound here, but with all the other various instruments contributing their own more subtle elements, a hazy, drifty, tripped out bit of druggy psychedelic drift that is perfectly divine.

Like we said before, worth it just for the second disc, but heck, there's a whole other disc, which we actually never dug into until NOW. Up first is Miyako Ochi, who are a sort of Group Sounds, Beatles worshiping rock band, all British style rhythm and blues, the songs could very well be covers, one sounds exactly like "Twist And Shout", then there's Minami Masato, who are a lot like Miyako Ochi, at least with their Beatles-esque opener, but after that, the sound shifts to a more contemplative folk music, again looking to the UK and the US for inspiration, subtle simple strummed acoustic guitar and woozy croon, again quite cool, but a strange mix to be paired up with Les Rallizes and TMT. But then there's Acid Seven, who we were already hoping would be a bit more bad ass based on the name alone, and while they are ANOTHER band that is doing that Group Sounds sound, they manage to inject it with some grit and swagger, shouted gang vocals, super distorted production, wild psychedelic leads, and a vocalist who has a pretty bad ass raspy bellow. The following track is a strange sort of jaunty sing along, with some rad slippery slide guitar and there's even a KAZOO SOLO! Finally, they finish things up with a bit of brooding dark folk, urgently strummed acoustic guitar, and some heartfelt almost anguished sounding vocalizing, surprisingly pretty, especially considering the wild biker rock bellowing that preceded it.

All in all pretty great. Japanese psych obsessives NEED this, and heck for $12, dabblers can definitely afford to give it a chance. But don't dawdle, pretty sure we got every copy our distributor had, so not sure when/if we'll be able to get more. Packaged in a slim sleeve with brown paper wrapper, duplicating the presentation of the original lp. (aquariusrecords)
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Lichens - The Psychic Nature of Being (2005)


Lichens is the name Robert Lowe has chosen for solo performance and recording. Using his voice, guitars and an array of devices and effects The Psychic Nature of Being was recorded at home, at Soma Studios and Camp Gay with Shelly Steffens and mastered by Griffin Rodriguez in Chicago. Each track was recorded as a one time improvisation without any overdubbing or editing. The extended tracks on The Psychic Nature of Being move from grainy shrouds of overlapping voices to shivery finger picked guitar and on into clanging percussion. It can be lyrical and mind bending, an aptreflection of Lowe's mesmerizing performances.


Robert Lowe plays bass and sings in 90 Day Men. Lichens has performed in Chicago and New York solo and as a duo and collaborated with The Castanets on tour. Lichens live is a transfixing experience, looping wordless vocals into curtains of drone Lowe adds acoustic and electric guitars, percussion and other effects to create alternately thick and delicate works. Lowe has recorded and released a Lichens CD-R on his own, each hand assembled and released in a limited edition. Lichens has played a number of shows in Chicago and New York and contributed a track to the One Bright Sunny Day compilation CD. Further touring is planned. In addition to the release of The Psychic Nature of Being, Chocolate Industries is releasing a limited edition 7 inch single by Lichens packaged inside a book of art Lowe curated with contributions by Jon Beasley, Justin Schaefer, Devendra Banhart and others. A vinyl version of The Psychic Nature of Being will be released by the estimable folk/psych/heavy imprint Holy Mountain. (brainwashed)
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74 Grupa Biednych - the lonely, white sail of polish psychedelia


Zebrane nagrania są jedynie zbiorem tego, co jest dostępne w sieci. Nie ma jak dotąd żadnych zrealizowanych w formie płyty. Czekamy ....

74 Grupa Biednych (w późniejszym okresie zespół używał także nazwy Grupa 74) - polski zespół rockowy, który był też swego rodzaju ruchem społecznym, powstały w Ustce w 1966 roku. Grupę tworzyli: Joanna Izdebska - śpiew; Jerzy Izdebski - gitara, śpiew; Andrzej Emil Pakulnicki Anatol - gitara; Roman Wawrowski - gitara basowa, Wojciech Nierzwicki - perkusja. Wówczas współpracowali z formacją m.in.: Franciszek Rymarz - gitara; Janusz Piórkowski - śpiew; Piotr “Pastor” Buldeski - gitara, śpiew; Jacek Malicki - flet; Dominik Kuta - flet; Stanisław Sokołowski - wykonawca fuzz-box i akcesoriów do głośników, gitar i wzmacniaczy. Zespół ćwiczył, m. in. na wydmach utwory z repertuaru The Beatles, The Kings, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Small Faces, The Hollies, The Searchers, których słuchał  w popowych stacjach zachodnich, czyli Radio Nord (piracka stacja skandynawska na statku Lucky Star na Bałtyku), Radio Luxembourg, Caroline, Veronica, London. Formacja była magnesem ściągającym do Ustki młodzież z całej Polski. Przed 1967 rokiem ośmiotysięczna Ustka nie była tak popularnym wczasowiskiem, jak po pierwszych występach 74GB.

- Teksty były na czasie - wspomina Joanna Izdebska-Morycińska, siostra Jerzego Izdebskiego.

- Nie było w nich buntu i nie były prosto w oczy. Były to poetyckie przekazy o tym, co jest ważne dla człowieka. Ludziom to się tak podobało,że ściągali do Ustki, aby nas posłuchać z całej Polski.

Latem 1968 r. 74 Grupa Biednych wystąpiła po raz pierwszy w Ustce na placu ośrodka Na Palach (obecnie muszla koncertowa) z własnym repertuarem. Przebojem był utwór "Jestem Wolny" oraz "Lato w Ustce" i "Ballada o młynarzu". Zespół występował także z tyłu Hali Targowej między straganami na ogrodzonym placu i w Domu Kultury. Występy grupy cieszyły sporym powodzeniem. W tym czasie zespół występował w składzie: Jerzy Izdebski - gitara, śpiew; Ryszard Klorek - gitara basowa; Henryk Tomala (zamarzł a przystanku autobusowym zimą 1982 roku w Katowicach) - perkusja. Zespół prezentował się szokująco; długie włosy, kwieciste koszule (moda na flower power), bez butów, często w płetwach pływackich, w przedwojennych ubraniach dziadków i babci, żaboty, apaszki. Czasami na mokro w podkoszulkach oblepionych morskim piaskiem i przypominał małe, prywatne przedsiębiorstwo. Wszystkie gitary były wykonane przez muzyków własnoręcznie, także kolumny głośnikowe, wzmacniacze, kamery pogłosowe i mikrofony zbudowane z wkładek telefonicznych, sitek do cedzenia herbaty i szpulek od nici. Muzycy sami pisali piosenki, nie mając managera sami zajmowali się organizacja koncertów, reklamą i relacjami publicznymi, sami kontrolowali wydatki z wpływów za koncerty przeznaczone na zakup instrumentów, głośników itp.

Po Polsce rozeszła się fama o nadzwyczajnych występach zespołu w Ustce, o hippisowskich zlotach, o happeningach, o polskim stylu underground. Prasa dezinformowała czytelników przypisując zespołowi inklinacje hippisowskie. Konotacje hippisowskie powstały z powodu zaprzyjaźnienia zespołu ze środowiskami artystycznymi i akademickimi z Warszawy, Łodzi, Krakowa, które nagle pojawiły się w Ustce na występach formacji. O Pastorze, Pająku, Krokodylu, Korze i jej siostrze Dolores, o Balubie i Psie wiedziała cała Polska z krytykującej ich postawie prasy komunistycznej: "Polityka", "Trybuna Ludu", "Kultura". W pewnym okresie władze zakazały grupie występowania we wszystkich klubach studenckich na Pomorzu. Nikt jej nie pomagał z wyjątkiem Piórkowskiego kierownika Domu Rybaka, który pozwalał muzykom odbywać próby i występować w swojej sali dzieląc z nimi wpływy z biletów. Ich styl zarażał innych. Długie włosy stawały się coraz dłuższe. Jeden z fanów grupy Kostek Kozdroj noszący jedne z najdłuższych włosów w Ustce właśnie za włosy został napadnięty przez usteckich zbirów z MO oślepiony gazem i zepchnięty do kanału portowego gdzie utonął.

Jesienią 1969 r. formacja wzięła udział w I Ogólnopolskim Festiwalu Awangardy Beatowej w Kaliszu, gdzie otrzymała wyróżnienie. W kolejnych dwóch latach zespół uczestniczył w wielu konkursach i festiwalach studenckich oraz Jazz nad Odrą, gdzie zdobywał nagrody wraz z grupami Laboratorium, Respekt, Test i Krystyną Prońko. Grupa zarejestrowała część swoich nagrań w radiu i telewizji. 74 Grupa Biednych była przykładem zaangażowania polskiej młodzieży w walkę z reżimem komunistycznym dlatego formacji nie udało się nagrać płyty ponieważ strona komercyjna była dla nich zamknięta. Wkrótce zaczęły się prześladowania. Milicja, SB, PZPR, LWP rożnymi sposobami starali się przeszkodzić muzykom w karierze. Pobicia, rewizje w domach, aresztowania a jednak prasa muzyczna odnotowywała sukcesy. Kilka artykułów o grupie opublikował "Jazz", który pisał o 74 Grupie Biednych jako o samowystarczalnym koncernie i wschodzącej gwieździe, której bez wątpienia przypadła rola polskich Beatlesów. W rubryce Romana Waschko (1921-2002) publikowanej w prasie młodzieżowej, 74GB znalazła się jako odkrycie roku 1970.


Na koncertach w tym okresie grupa występowała dość często z trębaczem, z drugim perkusistą oraz z kontrabasem i fletem. W latach 1969-1973 zespół stworzył własne charakterystyczne brzmienie, repertuar utworów i uznanie fanów w całej Polsce. W skład grupy wchodzili: Jerzy Izdebski - gitara, harmonijka ustna, śpiew; Andrzej Diering - trąbka; Kazimierz Panasiak - gitara basowa; Bogdan Miś - perkusja; Henryk Tomala - perkusja. Z formacją współpracowali także: Grażyna Łobaszewska - śpiew; Ryszard Gwalbert Misiek (1947-2010) - saksofon; Ewa Sośnicka - śpiew; Zdzisław Pawiłojś - gitara basowa; Stanisław Ząbek - kontrabas, Janusz Prymkiewicz - pianino, Andrzej Guziński - organy, Zdzisław Malinowski - teksty piosenek, perkusja;  Bogdan Winiarczyk - teksty piosenek; Andrzej Kowalski - taniec na scenie; Stanisław -  elektryk zespołu; Lech Wieleba - akustyk; Ryszard Chodysz - manager. Grupa występowała w sopockim Non Stopie i w gdańskim Żaku na zmianę z Czesławem Niemenem. W tym okresie powstały nagradzane wielokrotnie kompozycje "Zanim"; "Co przyniesie nam lato"; "Każda rzecz ma swój czas". Bodajże w 1971 roku tłumy ludzi przybyły na koncert 74 Grupy Biednych pod gołym niebem w Rowach. Wystąpili wtedy z nimi m.in. wokalistka Ewa Sośnicka, Zenon Laskowik z poznańskiego kabaretu TEY. Zachowało się nagranie archiwalne całości koncertu dokonane przez inżyniera z Polskiego Radia w Poznaniu.

W 1972 r. zespół połączył się z muzykami zespołu nazwą Sygnały i razem z nimi występował pod nazwą Sygnały 74. Ostatni występ zespołu odbył się w 1973 r. Członkowie zespołu rozpoczęli własne kariery artystyczne występując ze znanymi gwiazdami polskiej muzyki w kraju i za granicą. Jerzy Izdebski występował w klubach, galeriach i pubach w Londynie i na kontynencie w latach 1975-79. W tym samym okresie pracował też nad fuzz box i w rezultacie zdobył angielski i amerykański patent na przystawkę do instrumentów muzycznych. W kilka dni po ogłoszeniu przez reżim komunistyczny stanu wojennego w Polsce (13 grudzień 1981) dowodzonego przez generała Jaruzelskiego o 74 Grupie Biednych napisano w New Musical Express. Autor przedstawił historię zachodniej muzyki w Polsce komunistycznej, na tle przemian politycznych. Wymieniona była 74 Grupa Biednych i Ustka jako ważne ogniwa oporu młodzieży polskiej przeciwko barbarzyństwu komunistycznych rządów w Polsce. Żaden inny polski zespół nie był wymieniony w tym kontekście. Jerzy Izdebski zmarł 13 grudnia 2010 r. w Londynie po ciężkiej chorobie. Miał 63 lata.

Adam Paluch
http://polskirocklat60i70.blogspot.com/2013/06/jestem-wolny-74-grupa-biednych.html

Strona fanowska:

Post o Jerzym Izdebskim:

Post o Piotrze „Pastorze” Buldeskim:

Źródła:



Jerzy Izdebski
Czterdzieści lat temu powstała 74 Grupa Biednych
(tekst pisany parę lat temu - Jerzy Izdebski zmarł w 2010)

Wszystko zaczęło się na wydmach. To było najlepsze miejsce na próby. Dwie gitary, harmonijka ustna, tamburino i szum morza....Próbowaliśmy naśladować The Beatles, The Kings, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Small Faces, The Hollies, The Searchers. Słuchaliśmy ich w dzień z Radio Nord ( piracka stacja skandynawska na statku Lucky Star na Bałtyku) a w nocy na Radio Luxembourg, Caroline, Veronica, London. Latem 1968 roku, gdy komunistyczne armie razem z polska, krwawo rozprawiały się z antykomunistycznym powstaniem w Pradze, 74 Grupa Biednych wystąpiła po raz pierwszy w Ustce na placu ośrodka Na Palach (obecnie muszla koncertowa) z własnym repertuarem. Przebojem był utwór

Jestem Wolny (słowa i muzyka J. Izdebski).

Jestem Wolny
Myśli dzisiaj mam swobodne,
w oczach moich szczęście jest
rękę mogę dziś do góry podnieść
jestem wolny!
Nikt nie będzie do mnie strzelać
nikt nie zwiąże moich rak
nikt nie będzie mnie poniżać
jestem wolny!
Zostaw bracie działo
działo niesie śmierć
zostaw bracie mundur śmierci
w worek odziej się
nie szanowałeś godności swej.

Udało się nam tez występować na tyle Hali Targowej miedzy straganami na ogrodzonym placu, (obecnie nowa cześć cmentarza) i w Domu Kultury. Publiczność musiała kupować bilety na dwa tygodnie wcześniej. Przychodziły tłumy, brakowało biletów i miejsc. A my śpiewaliśmy:

Lato w Ustce (słowa i muzyka J. Izdebski)

Lato w Ustce jest znów
powróciło ze snu
dawnych znajomych możesz spotkać tu.
Znowu plaża i wiatr,
znów upały co dnia
i morskie fale u twych stop

Publiczność szalała z radości gdy śpiewaliśmy im surrealistyczna Balladę o Młynarzu, prowokującą, obalającą bariery rutyny i sztucznej odwagi.... (słowa i muzyka Andrzej Pakulnicki):

Pędź dzielny młynarzu w srebrzystym popiele
z uczuć twych wypalonych na mąkę, na mąkę
pędź aż w twych dzieżach głos buntu zadudni
i Józef wyjdzie z pieca nucąc swoją piosenkę
Pędząc tak bezdrożami snów dawno zapomnianych,
oczekujesz, że kiedyś głos śledzi cię zbudzi
wtem przestrzeń się otwiera i jest dla nich brama
ciuch, ciuch, ciuch już jadą, już jadą, już jadą
A gdy ujrzysz kiedyś kres swojej wędrówki
spojrzysz wokół radośnie, poklepiesz wielbłąda
krzykniesz: mąka! grajcie surmy zbrojne
i padłszy na kolana zagryziesz pająka.
O wy, którzy potem oblewacie
trudy codzienności
weźcie z niego przykład
trzeba żyć i marzyć by zbawić ten świat.

Zespół prezentował się szokująco; długie włosy, kwiaciaste koszule (moda na flower power), bez butów, często w płetwach pływackich, w przedwojennych ubraniach dziadków i babci, żaboty, apaszki. Czasami na mokro (wet look) w podkoszulkach oblepionych bielusieńkim jak śnieg morskim piaskiem ( już go nie ma w Ustce). Wszystkie gitary były wykonane przez nas własnoręcznie, także kolumny głośnikowe, wzmacniacze, kamery pogłosowe i....mikrofony zbudowane z wkładek telefonicznych, sitek do cedzenia herbaty i szpulek od nici. Miesięcznik Jazz pisał o 74 Grupie Biednych jako o samowystarczalnym koncernie i wschodzącej gwieździe, której bez wątpienia przypadła rola polskich Beatlesów.

Borykaliśmy się z wieloma problemami. Perkusje trzeba było kupić, znaleźć żyrantów, spłacać raty. Wzmacniacze i głośniki potrzebne były lepsze, a to pociągało nowe wydatki. Pokrywaliśmy je w części ze sprzedaży biletów i z własnych kieszeni. Nikt nam nie pomagał z wyjątkiem Pana Piórkowskiego kierownika Domu Rybaka, który pozwalał nam odbywać próby i występować w swojej sali dzieląc z nami wpływy z biletów. Komitet miejski PZPR, milicja , SB i dowództwo Garnizonu wiele razy wzywało mnie na rozmowy przy drzwiach zamkniętych. Dlaczego nie chcecie wpuszczać wojska na swoje występy? Jaka Bieda? W socjalizmie nie ma biedy!

„Glos buntu zadudni”- jakiego buntu? Jestem wolny....co to ma znaczyć?...

Po Polsce pędziła fama o nadzwyczajnych występach zespołu w Ustce, o hippisowskich zlotach, o happeningach, o polskim stylu underground.. Prasa dezinformowała czytelników przypisując inklinacje hippisowskie zespołowi. Gdy powstawał nikt z nas nie był hippie. Ideologia flower power nie była nam bliska, ponieważ powstała na gruncie sytuacji politycznej w USA i nie mogła być wiernie skopiowana na grunt polski. Z pewnością moda w ubiorze, fryzurze i może gestach nas interesowała, i to wszystko. Nie mogliśmy występować przeciwko armii USA walczącej w Wietnamie przeciwko komunistom. Konotacje hippisowskie powstały z powodu zaprzyjaźnienia zespołu ze środowiskami artystycznymi i akademickimi z Warszawy, Lodzi, Krakowa, które nagle pojawiły się w Ustce na naszych występach. Niektórzy z tych ludzi obnosili się ze swoja hipiesowsczyzna po Ustce i nie tylko. O Pastorze, Pająku, Krokodylu, Korze i jej siostrze Dolores, o Balubie i Psie wiedziała cala Polska z krytykującej ich postawie prasy komunistycznej: Polityka, Trybuna Ludu, Kultura. My w Ustce założyliśmy zespól żeby się wyżyć twórczo. Byliśmy już pracującymi lub studiującymi ludźmi. Hippiesi z centralnej Polski, którzy do nas dołączyli, pozostawiali swoje studia lub zakłady pracy i kontestowali żyjąc jak polne lilie.....

Jesienią 1968 zostaliśmy zaproszeni do Kalisza na Pierwszy Ogólnopolski Festiwal Awangardy Beatowej ( prekursor Jarocina) i otrzymaliśmy nagrodę wyróżnienie. W następnych dwóch latach zdobyliśmy pierwsze nagrody wraz z Laboratorium, Respekt, Test, Pronko. Po tym dokonaliśmy kilku nagrań dla Polskiego Radia i TV. Wygraliśmy wiele nagród w Polsce występując na różnych konkursach i festiwalach w tym studenckich i Jazz nad Odra,. Niestety nie udało się nam nagrać płyty. Komercyjna strona była dla nas zamknięta. Wkrótce zaczęły się prześladowania. Milicja, SB, PZPR, LWP rożnymi sposobami starali się nam przeszkodzić w karierze. Pobicia, rewizje w domach, aresztowania...

Nie poddawaliśmy się. Po wielu eksperymentach udało się nam zbudować mechaniczną wersje fuzz-box. Brzmiał jak ten słynny fuzz-box w Satisfaction the Rolling Stones. Zbudowaliśmy własne przystawki do gitar, kamery pogłosowe sprężynowe i taśmowe.


W latach 1969-73 zespól stworzył własne charakterystyczne brzmienie, repertuar utworów i wielkie ilości fanów w całej Polsce. Sukcesem były występy w sopockim NONStopie i w gdańskim Żaku na zmianę z Czesławem Niemenem. W tym okresie powstały; nagradzane wielokrotnie kompozycje Zanim, Co przyniesie nam Lato, Każda rzecz ma swój czas i inne (Izdebski).

Co przyniesie nam lato ( po rozruchach grudniowych na Wybrzeżu w 1970, Izdebski);

Kto to wie, co przyniesie nam lato,
może nocą umrze słońce i deszcz?
Kto to wie, czy do brzegu dopłyną
fale mórz, jeśli ucichnie wiatr?

Który świt będzie dla nas nadzieją
Który dzień będzie miał dla nas sens
Chwycić wiatr próbowało już wielu
chwycić czas jest jeszcze trudniej niż wiatr

Prasa odnotowywała od czasu do czasu nasze sukcesy. Kilka artykułów o 74GB opublikował Jazz. W rubryce Romana Waszko publikowanej w prasie młodzieżowej, 74GB znalazła się jako odkrycie roku 1970. Na koncertach w tym okresie zespół występował często z trębaczem, z drugim perkusista, z kontrabasem i fletem. Ostatni występ odbył się w 1973.

W kilka dni po ogłoszeniu przez reżim komunistyczny stanu wojennego w Polsce dowodzonego przez tow. Jaruzelskiego, ktoś zadzwonił do mnie w Londynie i powiedział że, piszą o 74 Grupie Biednych w New Musical Express. Rzeczywiście na środkowej rozkładówce było duże zdjęcie przewróconego Pałacu Kultury, zdjęcia czołgów Jaruzelskiego i jego milicji z pałkami. Autor przedstawił historie zachodniej muzyki w Polsce komunistycznej, na tle przemian politycznych. Wymieniona była z nazwy 74 Grupa Biednych i Ustka jako ważne ogniwa oporu młodzieży polskiej przeciwko barbarzyństwu komunistycznych rządów w Polsce.

Żaden inny polski zespół nie był wymieniony w tym sensie....Myślę dzisiaj, ze zasłużyliśmy na to, my wszyscy którzy daliśmy swoje talenty, czas, pieniądze i dużo więcej, aby Jestem Wolny mogły w końcu powiedzieć miliony naszych rówieśników.

Patrząc z dystansu 40 lat na 74 Grupę Biednych można zrozumieć jaki spustoszenie poczynili komuniści w naszym życiu, w naszej ojczyźnie. Nie mając żadnego zaplecza finansowego, żadnego patrona i na dodatek cała potęgę aparatu ucisku komunistycznego reżimu przeciwko sobie, zdołaliśmy sami zrobić bardzo dużo. To było prywatne przedsiębiorstwo, przykład inicjatywy młodych, piękny przykład bezkompromisowego stanowiska wobec komunistycznego bezprawia i ciemnoty. Chcieliśmy grać, i dlatego musieliśmy nauczyć się stolarki, elektroniki, tapicerki, lutnictwa...

Musieliśmy sami napisać muzykę i słowa, sami zorganizować koncerty, sami kontrolować wpływy do naszej kasy na zakup instrumentów, głośników itp. Sami musieliśmy zajmować się reklamą zespołu i relacjami publicznymi. Do obecnej chwili na elewatorze w porcie przy ul. Portowej widnieją pozostałości jednej z reklam. Białe duże litery namalowane na czerwonej cegle; 74GB, każda środa, 17:00. MDK. Inne napisy na plotach, i na chodnikach już nie istnieją.

Zespół był magnesem ściągającym do Ustki młodzież z całej Polski. Przed 1967 rokiem 8 tysięczna Ustka nie była tak popularnym wczasowiskiem, jak po pierwszych występach 74GB. Zespół był najlepszym promotorem Ustki w kraju. W owym czasie nie było ani promenady ani restauracji nadmorskich ani ogródków z piwem ani smażalni ryb ani biura promocji miasta..... W pewnym okresie siedziba zespołu i jego najbardziej zaufanych fanów była piękna poniemiecka podpiwniczona altana w bukowym parku nad plażą. Tutaj odwiedzali nas dziennikarze ze stolicy, muzycy, fani. Robiliśmy sobie w niej próby unplaged. Na koniec milicja ustecka wrzuciła nam gazy łzawiące a pałkami i butami zdemolowała nasz dobytek. Byliśmy zatrzymywani i przesłuchiwani. Nie lubili nas za nasza modę, ekstrawagancję, odwagę i przekaz. Przekaz był jasny i klarowny. Przenosiliśmy ideały zachodnie docierające do nas przez muzykę z popowych stacji zachodnich. Byliśmy znakomitym medium, docierającym masowo do najbardziej niespokojnej i ambitnej części społeczeństwa polskiego, do młodzieży. Słowa piosenki Jestem Wolny znała cala Polska. Słuchałem jak cytowane były przez młodych ludzi na warszawskiej starówce i we Wrocławiu. Zjeżdżająca się do Ustki młodzież prześcigała się w modzie, w nowych gestach, w sposobie mówienia i zachowania. Odbyły się dwa słynne na całą Polskę happeningi plażowe, których scenariusze powstały w altanie. Zbudowaliśmy z kolegami nadajnik radiowy i nadawaliśmy z płyt pocztówkowych zachodnie przeboje na falach średnich. Bodajże w 1971 roku tłumy przybyły na nasz koncert pod gołym niebem w Rowach. Wystąpiła z nami E. Sośnicka, Pan Laskowik z kabaretu poznańskiego i inni. Do dzisiaj istnieje archiwalne nagranie całości koncertu dokonane przez inżyniera z Polskiego Radia w Poznaniu.

O tym jaka była wówczas Ustka może świadczyć takie oto zdarzenie: po występie środowym w Domu Rybaka (MDK) zostawiłem swoja gitarę na zewnątrz budynku opartą o ścianę. Zawsze był tłumek fanów i trzeba było z nimi po zamknięciu budynku pożartować, porozmawiać, zaimponować ładnym przyjezdnym dziewczynom. A dziewczyny mogły naprawdę zamieszać w głowie tak, ze nawet o gitarze człowiek nie pamiętał. Instrument stal cala noc do rana i nikt go nie ukradł. Następnego dnia znalazła go jakaś kobieta idąca na poranna msze świętą i odniosła do mieszkania moich rodziców....

Nasi młodsi o kilka lat koledzy dzielnie dopingowali wiośnie usteckiej, wybuchowi młodej twórczości. Wielu z nich zaczęło grać na instrumentach, pisać poezje, malować obrazy, rzeźbić...Dzisiaj kontynuują swoja sztukę rozsiani po świecie; Wojciech Strahl wystawia swoje rzeźby w znanych galeriach Ameryki, Gosia Piórkowska nadal komponuje, maluje, ilustruje w USA, Ś.P. A. Gawlak do niedawna malował w Niemczech, a zmarły kilka lat temu w USA perkusista z Ustki Ś.P. Lipiński też był poderwany do lotu przez 74GB.

74 Grupa Biednych była przykładem zaangażowania polskiej młodzieży w walkę z reżimem PZPR, z komunizmem. Za tę postawę zapłaciliśmy wysoką cenę. Wypłyniecie zespołu na niwę komercyji było zakazane. Nie mogliśmy nigdy nagrać ani płyty ani odbyć tourne po Polsce. W pewnym czasie mięliśmy zakaz występowania we wszystkich klubach studenckich na Pomorzu. Nasz styl zarażał innych. Długie włosy stawały się coraz dłuższe. Wielu naszych fanów było prześladowanych za te włosy. Kostek Kozdroj noszący jedne z najdłuższych włosów w Ustce właśnie za włosy został napadnięty przez usteckich zbirów z MO oślepiony gazem i zepchnięty do kanału portowego gdzie utonął na oczach umundurowanych bandytów Kaszkiewicza i Zbigniewa Gorczyńskiego, którzy nigdy za to stracone młode życie nie zostali osadzeni i ukarani. Widział te zbrodnie jeden z latarników na latarni morskiej ale przez lata milczał obawiając się represji. 74 Grupa Biednych była fenomenem przedsiębiorczości, samowystarczalności, wiary we własne siły i wzorem młodzieńczej odwagi. Gdybyśmy w tamtym okresie mieszkali w zachodnim państwie, zrobilibyśmy karierę artystyczna i zarobilibyśmy dużo pieniędzy. Z pewnością zainteresowała by się nami nie jedna wytwórnia płyt i nie jedna agencja artystyczna. Niestety żyliśmy w sowieckiej niewoli dozorowanej przez bandytów, zdrajców i łobuzów z PZPR. Są nam winni bardzo dużo a do tej pory nikt z nich nie powiedział nam chociaż raz słowa przepraszam.

Po moim wyjeździe z Polski w 1974, zespół przestał istnieć. Jego członkowie rozpoczęli własne kariery artystyczne występując ze znanymi gwiazdami polskiej muzyki w kraju i podróżowali za granice. Mi udało się występować w klubach, galeriach i pubach w Londynie i na kontynencie w okresie 1975-79. Grałem też w Institute of Contemporary Art na The Mall. W tym samym okresie kontynuowałem prace nad fuzz box i w ich rezultacie zdobyłem od królewskiego Paten Office patent na przystawkę do instrumentów muzycznych i w rok później po zażartej walce z firma japońska patent USA w Washingtonie. Dla 74 Grupy Biednych najwyższa wartością była wolność. Dlatego zespół zapłacił najwyższą cenę: nie nagrał żadnej płyty i nie odbył żadnego tourne po Polsce ani zagranicą. Nasza “konkurencja” występowała w radio, w tv, koncertowała zarobkowo w Polsce i zagranica, bo nie występowała przeciwko systemowi komunistycznemu. Dzisiaj jesteśmy my wszyscy z tamtych lat starszymi ludźmi i bez kompleksów możemy opowiadać o naszej nieskorumpowanej młodości, a na dodatek każdy z nas może podnieść do góry ręce i powiedzieć Jestem Wolny.

Pierwszy skład (1966/67)

• Joanna Izdebska vocal
• Jerzy Izdebski gitara, vocal
• Andrzej Emil Pakulnicki Anatol, gitara ( tworca nazwy zespolu)
• Roman Wawrowski gitara basowa
• Wojciech Nierzwicki perkusja
• wspolpraca: Franciszek Rymarz gitara
• Janusz Piorkowski vocal
• Piotr Buldeski “Pastor” (zmarl w Australii 2005)
• Jacek Malicki flet
• Dominik - flet (Później Czerwone Gitary)
• Stanisław Sokołowski wykonawca fuzz-box i akcesoriow metalowych do glosnikow, do gitar i do wzmacniaczy

Drugi skład (1968):
• Jerzy Izdebski gitara vocal
• Ryszard Klorek gitara basowa
• Henryk Tomala perkusja (zabity w stanie wojennym w Katowicach)

Trzeci skład 1970-73

• Jerzy Izdebski gitara, harmonijka, vocal
• Andrzej Diering trąbka
• Bogdan Mis perkusja
• Kazimierz Panasiak gitara basowa
• Henryk Tomala perkusja
• współpraca: Grażyna Łobaszewska vocal
• Gwalbert Misiek saksofon
• Ewa Sosnicka vocal (siostra Zdzisławy)
• Zdzisław Pawilojc gitara basowa
• Zdzisław Malinowski teksty piosenek
• Bogdan Winiarczyk teksty piosenek
• Andrzej Kowalski taniec na scenie (zamordowany w Słupsku przez MO)
• Stasio.............. elektryk zespołu (zamordowany w Słupsku przez MO)
• Lech Wieleba akustyk
• Ryszard Chodysz agent



The 74 Group of Poor is one of the forgotten pearls of polish rock and western psychedelic rock. They didn't realize any album or single. People says that maybe some of them exists in radio archives. We are wainting taht somebody discover them. This archive is a amateur collection of track which are aviable in the web.

What will bring us summer (after the December riots on the Coast in 1970, author George Izdebski)

Who knows what will bring us summer,
You may die by night Sun and rain?
who knows whether to shore
waves can reach the seas, if go silent?
That will hopefully for us, dawn
That day will have meaning for us
Grab the wind have tried many
grab the time is even harder than the wind.

74 Group of Poor (at a later period the team used also name of a Group of 74) - polish rock band, which was also a kind of social movement, formed in 1966 in Ustka. The group consisted of: Joanna Izdebska-vocals; Jerzy Izdebski - guitar, vocals; Andrew Emil Pakulnicki "Anatol" – guitar; Roman Wawrowski – bass guitar, Wojciech Nierzwicki - drums. Then cooperated with the formation, among others: Francis Saddler - guitar; Janusz Piórkowski – vocals; Piotr "Pastor" Buldeski (1949-2005) - vocals, guitar; Jack Malicki - flute; Dominik Kuta - flute; Stanisław Sokolowski - performer fuzz-box and accessories for speakers, guitars and amplifiers. A team of trained, inter alia, on the dunes from the repertoire of songs of The Beatles, The Kings, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Small Faces, The Hollies, The Searchers, which listened to the pop stations, or Radio Nord (pirate station on board a ship on the Baltic Sea Lucky Star in Scandinavia), Radio Luxembourg, Caroline, Veronica, London. The formation was a magnet for young people from across the Polish Ustka astringent. Before 1967 the year with eight thousand inhabitants of Ustka was not so popular as a holiday resort after the first concerts 74 Group of Poor

-Texts were on time - mention Joanna Izdebska-Morycińska, the sister of George Izdebski.

-There was a rebellion and in them were not straight in the eye. These were the poetic messages about what is important to a man. People so I liked that they drifted to Ustka, to let us hear from across Polish.

In the summer of 1968, 74 Group of Poor appeared for the first time after the in Ustka at square on stilts (now concert shell) with its own repertoire. Hit was the song "I am free" and "Summer in Ustka" and "The Ballad of Miller". The band also performed on the back of the Market between the stalls in the fenced square and the House of culture. Performances have enjoyed considerable success. During this time the band performed in the composition: Jerzy Izdebski - guitar, vocals; Richard Klorek - bass guitar; Henry Tomala (froze at the bus stop in the winter of 1982 in Katowice) - drums. The team presented a shockingly; long hair, flowery shirts (fashion on flower power) without shoes, often in swimming fins, in pre-war clothes grandparents and my grandmother, jabots, scarves. Sometimes wet t-shirts caked sea sand and resembled a small company. All the guitars were made by musicians personally, including speakers, amplifiers, cameras and microphones reverberant built with inserts, sitek to straining tea and bobbins of thread. The musicians themselves wrote the song not having a Manager they themselves engaged in the organization of concerts, advertising and public relations, they controlled spending with receipts for the concerts dedicated to the purchase of instruments, speakers and the like.

Poland news spread about the band in performances of extraordinary fama Ustka, a popular hippy rallies, happenings, Polish style underground. The press was misleading readers by assigning a team the influence of hippies. Connotations of hippie formed due to befriending the band with artistic communities and academia from Warsaw, Łódź, Kraków, which suddenly appeared in Ustka at concerts. About Pastor, Spider, Crocodile, and Bark and her sister Dolores, Baluba and Dog knew whole Poland with criticized their attitude the Communist press: "Politics", "Tribune of the people", "Culture". Over a period of time, the authorities have banned a group of all student clubs in Pomerania. No one helped her with the exception of the Piórkowski head of the "House of a Fisherman" that allowed musicians to hold trials and appear in your classroom by sharing with them the proceeds from the tickets. Their style infect others. Long hair kept getting longer. One of the Group's fans some of the hair was Kostek Kozdroj bearing  some of the longest hair in Ustka is the hair was attacked by thugs from the Civic Militia of Ustka, blinded and relegated to a port channel where he drowned.

 In the fall of 1969 formation took part in the first National Festival Of Beat in Kalisz, where she received Honorable mention. In the next two years, the band participated in many competitions and festivals and student Jazz nad Odrą, where he won the prize together with Laboratory, Respect, Test and Krystyna Prońko. Group registered some of their recordings on radio and television. 74 Group Poor was an example of the involvement of Polish youth in the fight against the Communist regime because of the formation of the failed burn because the page was closed for commercial. Soon began to persecution. The police, security service, Poland the United workers ' Party, a popular Polish Army in various ways attempted to prevent the musicians in a career. Beatings, revisions in nursing homes, arrest and yet music press has been successful. Several articles about the Group published the "Jazz", who wrote about the poor Group self-sufficient as a group of 74 and rising star, which without a doubt was the role of the Polish Beatles. Under Roman Waschko (1921-2002) published in the press, the youth, 74 GB as was the discovery of the 1970s.


At concerts during this period, the group performed quite frequently with trumpet player, with a second drummer, and upright bass and flute. In the years 1969-1973 team created their own distinctive sound, repertoire of songs and appreciation of fans in Poland. The group consisted of: Jerzy Izdebski - guitar, harmonica, vocals; Andrew Diering - trumpet; Bogdan Bear - drums; Kazimierz Panasiak - bass guitar; Henry Tomala - drums. With formation worked also: Grażyna Łobaszewska – vocals; Richard "Gwalbert" Teddy Bear (1947-2010) - saxophone; Ewa Sośnicka - vocals; Zdzisław Pawilojc - bass guitar; Stanisław Ząbek - double bass, Janusz Prymkiewicz - piano, Andrew Guziński - organ, Zdzisław Malinowski - lyrics, drums; Bogdan Winiarczyk - lyrics; Andrew Kowalski - dancing on stage; Stanisław - electrician team; Lech Wieleba - sound engineer; Richard Chodysz - manager. The group performed in Sopot and Gdańsk in the rate of Non-Żaku with Czesław Niemen. During this period formed the award winning compositions "Before"; "What will bring us summer"; "Each thing has its time." Perhaps in 1971, crowds of people came to the concert 74 Poor Group under the open sky in Rowy. Starring then with them, among others. singer Ewa Sośnicka, Zenon Laskowik with Poznań cabaret TEY. Archival footage survived a whole concert made by the engineer of the Polish radio in Poznań.

In 1972, the team merged with team name signals and together with them he performed under the name Signals 74. The band's last appearance was in 1973, the band members started their own artistic career performing with well-known stars of Polish music in Poland and abroad. Jerzy Izdebski has performed in clubs, galleries and pubs in London and on the continent in the years 1975-79. During the same period, he also worked on the fuzz box and as a result won the English and American patent for a snap-in for musical instruments. A few days after the announcement by the Communist regime of martial law in Poland (December 13, 1981) led by General Jaruzelski the author presented the history of Western music in the communist Poland, against the backdrop of political change. This was 74 Group of Poor and Ustka as important links of Polish youth resistance against the cruelty Communist rule in Poland. No other Polish team was not mentioned in this context. Jerzy Izdebski died December 13, 2010 in London, after a severe illness. He had 63 years.
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VA - Afro-Beat Airways: West African Shock Waves from Ghana & Togo 1972-79 (2010)



Organ-driven Afro-beat, cosmic Afro-funk and raw, psychedelic boogie… just some of the flavours to be found on this highly danceable compilation by Samy Ben Redjeb, founder of Analog Africa.

To document these 14 irresistible tracks and the music scene from the’70s, Samy crisscrossed the lengths of Ghana and Togo in search of the producers and artists – or their relatives. In the process he recorded a dozen interviews, scanned 90 pictures and transferred 120 master tapes.

All the evidence can be seen in the 44-page full colour booklet accompanying these 73 minutes of heavy West African sounds. Afro-Beat Airways showcases an amazing diversity of local rhythms spiced with Afro-American funk, soul and jazz. (analogafrica)
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Make-Up - After Dark (1997)



Michelle Mae - bass
Steve Gamboa - drums
James Canty - guitar, organ, voc
Ian Svenonius - vocal

Few bands have ever accomplished the level of confusion that the NATION OF ULYSSES were able to perpetuate in their four short years of existence. The band's swagger, destructive live shows, and jazz-infused brand of hardcore mixed with their over-the-top political rants and uncompromisingly militant presentation to create a mystique that has nearly become legendary. After the NATION’s implosion, three-fifths of the band teamed up with ex-FRUMPIES guitarist Michelle Mae to form the Make-Up. Rather than just continue on with the self-created “Ulysses Aesthetic,” the four decided to go in a somewhat different direction. A direction called Gospel Yeh-Yeh. On their live album After dark, the Make-Up play rock and roll that is overflowing with jazz and punk tendencies. A strong rhythm section composed of Steve Gamboa on drums and Michelle Mae on bass consistently lay down a groove that makes a perfect foundation for James Canty’s sparse guitar and organ work. While all the musicians in the band are impressive, Ian Svenonius is the star of this show. On tracks like We can't be contained, the music serves as nothing but a backdrop for his voice. The former NOU singer rants, raves, screams, and baby-talks the audience in attendance through a journey filled with faceless political enemies, lack of hope, and even the birth of a child (well, metaphorically, anyway). The band wants you to dance as much as they want you to listen to their front-man's hysterical preaching. They dubbed themselves Gospel Yeh-Yeh with good reason.

After dark is an entertaining listen. The production is great, so you can pick out every driving note of Michelle’s precision bass work, and the energy of a live setting does wonders for Ian. Some points can drag a bit and Ian’s tirades may wear thin on some, but in the end After dark is still definitely worth your time, if only to hear an influential band's live show when they were still in their prime. Fans of REFUSED and T(I)NC should especially take note since Dennis Lyxzén just about owes his entire career to the NOU and its subsequent offspring. (source)
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Ukrainian Village Music - Historic Recordings 1928 - 1933



TRIBUTE TO KILLED MAIDAN HEROES (Savage Saints Crew)

UKRAINIAN VILLAGE MUSIC
Historic recordings 1928-1933
Arhoolie Folklyric CD 7030 (1994)

In any part of the USA if you seek out musical roots, "dig where you stand" to borrow a phrase from Sweden's Ale Möller, you're liable to find they belong to a whole lot of different plants, still flourishing or otherwise, in countries throughout the world. Some people sort them out and follow them, others take the whole lot as their heritage and get on with it.

Fiddler Cathie Whitesides does the latter. Coming from Salt Lake City to Berkeley, she found she could make a living playing different strokes for different folks (it's not often a cliché can be so apt) in the various communities of San Francisco. She had to do it well, though. Here are Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Romanian, Greek, former Yugoslavian, and Whitesidesish tunes, all of them with lots of interesting corners, played with great understanding of what makes each music move, what techniques are central to it. As for centuries Gypsy and Jewish musicians, coming from outside a community and needing to make a living from it have learnt, people don't pay to listen to a stiff copyist; the music has to spark, and this does, having the distinctive witty lift that seems to have evolved among Berkeley musicians, of whom several prime movers, including Hank Bradley and Jody Stecher, feature here. (Like Bradley, Cathie Whitesides has now moved to another nexus of musical thought, Seattle, and that's where Avocet Records is to be found.)

As each wave of migration to the New World arrived, it brought with it its music. There were quite a lot of 78s made in the USA in the 20s and 30s of the music of Ukrainian villages, before the influence of the old country declined as a result both of the impulse to become American and of the arrival a post-WW2 wave of Ukrainian refugees from the Soviet invasion who'd had their upbringing in cities. Like other immigrant musics it's a persistent plant, though, and in the climatic change as Americans look around for their roots it's experiencing something of a regrowth. (Go for it, analogy and metaphor.)

This CD compilation from those 78s, put together by Chris Strachwitz and Dick Spottswood, begins with something familiar. Dowbush Kozak is its Ukrainian name, but it has others - Flop-Eared Mule and The Bluebell Polka for two. It's played on violin, hammered dulcimer and drum, the usual line-up of rural trio music in the Ukraine at the time. Bass sometimes replaced the drum, as it does on many tracks here, and to that are occasionally added more fiddles, trombones, piano, flute, clarinet, guitar or vocals, and one track is mandolin-led. Prevailing rhythms are the 2/4 or 4/4 kolomyjka and kozak; there's also a csardas, several polkas, a waltz and a couple of other 3/4 dance tunes. Always energetic and driving, the texture varies from raw to the fluid, gypsy-like style of a player such as Wasyl Gula, here playing with the Trembita Orchestra; as Bill Gale he later led Bill Gale's Globe Trotters, the Bee Gee Tavern Band, the International Rhythm Boys and other American-named bands reaching the wider community via radio and records with hot polka music.--- © 1994 Andrew Cronshaw
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Ol' Paint (1971)


Ol' Paint's first and only album, released in 1971, suggests what might have happened if a tuneful country-rock band had heard Big Star's #1 Record and decided to try something similar. Of course, clever pop enthusiasts will recall that Big Star's debut didn't arrive until 1972, and while the utter obscurity of this album would make it unlikely that Alex Chilton and company took any cues from Ol' Paint, at the very least the two bands sound like kindred spirits of smart pop in an era when such things were in short supply. Ol' Paint had a pair of fine tunesmiths in lead vocalist Tony Caputo and guitarist Andy Mendelson, and both bring some fine melodies and full-bodied melodic hooks to the table, but unfortunately neither was an especially compelling lyricist (the pretentious "Victims of the Sex Revolution" is a cringe-worthy low point), and while Big Star clearly took their cues from the Beatles, there are a few moments on Ol' Paint where it's hard not to feel they'd been listening to more Emitt Rhodes than Paul McCartney (not a bad thing in and of itself). Brief flashes of prog rock also flow through Ol' Paint's formula, and "Up from the Sea" and "Mogitah" probably turned off any Beatles obsessives looking for something similarly tuneful in a world without Fabs. Despite the album's eccentricities and inconsistencies, Ol' Paint is a fascinating disc that's full of truly enjoyable stuff, and one can only imagine what became of these guys after their brief moment of record-making glory. --- Mark Deming


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Fit & Limo - Rote Blumen (1983)


Fit & limo is a couple of multi-instrumentalists folk artists from Bavaria (Germany). They started their career back in the seventies as an acid folk rock formation. Their sound is in the tradition of the Incredible String Band influences. Today the duet explores "world", ethnic harmonies & traditional acoustic instruments. Compositions provide an important variety of dreamy folk sections including a heavy use of sitar. This is for fans of fusion music and kraut-folk, mixing psych rock to chamber folk, "ethnic" arrangements. A large community of musicians accompany the band in this adventure; also involved into numerous side projects (the religious "the god box" and the more rock sounded "Discolor".). From their retrospective (1983-88) to the recent inspired kraut-folk "Terra Incognita" (2004) the band has brilliantly brought folk rock on new territories. (progarchives)


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Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions - Top of the Tangent (1964)


This live performance was recorded in July, 1964, at the Top of the Tangent, Palo Alto, California, by Stanford students Pete Wanger and Wayne Ott, who were collecting material for their KZSU-FM radio program, "Live from the Top of the Tangent."

It was July 1964, when a small audience gathered in the music hall of a Palo Alto, California pizza and beer hang-out called The Tangent. It’s certain that no one in attendance knew how priceless a slice of Grateful Dead history they were about to witness or that thirty-five years later, this collection would be released by Grateful Dead Merchandising and hailed as the Rosetta Stone of Grateful Dead tape archaeology. Yet, there they were — Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Ron Pigpen McKernan, and three other musicians, performing a 45-minute set of jug band music.

At the time, Garcia had already made quite a name for himself as one of the best bluegrass musicians in the Bay Area. Less than a year later, Garcia, Weir, and McKernan would go on to form The Warlocks, which would quickly evolve into the Grateful Dead, turning Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions into a faint memory.

The performance contained on this disc was recorded for a Stanford University radio program called Live at the Top of the Tangent. Five years later, several tracks were culled from this program for a Grateful Dead documentary on San Francisco’s KSAN. Unfortunately, over the years, the original recording made by Pete Wanger was misplaced. In fact, it wasn’t until 1997, when Pete and his brother Michael found all of the Live at the Top of the Tangent tapes including the Mother McCree’s broadcast, stashed in their mother’s attic. In the usual Grateful Dead fashion, the tapes were digitally remastered, and the result sounds quite good, considering the circumstances.

Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions incorporated guitar, banjo, mandolin, kazoo, washboard, and other assorted instruments into a delightful and fun-filled excursion that played off the folk music revival of the early ’60s. It’s no surprise that the album has a free-spirited looseness about it as the sextet tackled a variety of songs from Chuck Berry (Memphis) to Jimmie Rodgers (In the Jailhouse Now). Scattered throughout the disc are a number of cover songs that later turned up in the Grateful Dead’s repertoire, including Ain’t It Crazy, Monkey & the Engineer, and Beat It On Down the Line. In addition, the album also includes some amusing stage banter that added to the levity of the happy-go-lucky set.

Make no mistake, this is certainly not the Grateful Dead, but it is a charming romp through the first collaboration of several of the band’s future members. Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, while quite different from the Grateful Dead’s electrified, psychedelic sound, provides invaluable insight into the group’s influences and developmental process, and therefore it must be included in any true Deadhead’s collection. More importantly, the pure joy that the band experienced by performing shines brightly throughout this set, and this exuberance is sure to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face. --- John Metzger
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Karel Velebny & SHQ - Parnas (1981)


Karel Velebný (1931 - 1989) was a Czech jazz musician, composer, arranger, actor, writer and music pedagogue. Velebný was one of the founders and pioneers of modern Czech jazz in the second half of the 20th century.

At 7 years old, Velebný played piano and at 15 - already a modern jazz enthusiast - taught himself to play alto saxophone. He graduated from gymnasium then studied drumming at the Prague Conservatory. He made his first public performance as a student, and became a full-time professional as soon as he graduated. From 1955 to 1958 he played with Czech jazzman Karel Krautgartner's orchestra, then joined contrabassist Luděk Hulan to co-found Studio 5, which became the key ensemble of modern Czech jazz. He continued to work with Krautgartner until the latter emigrated in 1968.

In 1960, the Studio 5 ensemble was absorbed by the Taneční orchestr Československého rozhlasu (Dance Orchestra of Czechoslovakia Radio), but Velebný and the original Studio 5 members soon quit. In 1961, Velebný and flautist Jan Konopásek co-founded SHQ, initially part of the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theatre (thus Spejbl and Huvínek Quintet), but later extending into independent performances. It became one of the most important bands in Czech jazz history. Velebný was its leader, composer, arranger, played as a multi-instrumentalist and taught the younger band members. SHQ's instrumental line-up and membership changed frequently. Later, Velebný was diagnosed with a serious heart disease and was forced to quit as a saxophonist and vibraphonist. In his later years, his instrumental role was mainly restricted to piano.

Karel Velebný played with various Czech jazz ensembles, including Kamil Hála's orchestra, the Linha Singers ensemble and occasionally with Gustav Brom's Big Band. Jiří Stivín, Luděk Hulan, František Uhlíř, Rudolf Dašek, Josef Vejvoda, and Jan Konopásek were among his regular collaborators. Velebný and SHQ also accompanied Eva Olmerová on her first studio album The Jazz Feeling.

As a composer, Velebný concentrated solely on jazz, in compositional styles and arrangements reminiscent of Gerry Mulligan, Chick Corea, Gary Burton and Benny Golson. He wrote mainly for his own ensembles (notably Studio 5 and SHQ) but also for the Kamil Hála Orchestra, the Karel Vlach Orchestra and others. His oeuvre comprises over 200 compositions, which include his prolific contributions to film music.

Velebný was also a founder and leader of specialised Czech jazz pedagogy in the 1970s. In 1978 he was invited to the Berklee College of Music, where he studied jazz teaching and the different approaches of European and American jazz. He organized and led the Summer Jazz Workshop in Frýdlant until his death in 1989. As a teacher, Velebný emphasised knowledge of techniques which could be broadly applied on jazz standards. He also wrote the specialist jazz textbook Jazzová praktika (The Jazz Practical).

Velebný contributed significantly to Czech theatre. He co-founded the Jára Cimrman Theatre, under the pseudonym dr. Evžen Hedvábný, and made occasional onstage appearances - as an actor - during its early days.
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Guardian Angel - Into Lightnin' 1971-1972 (2013)



Long spoken of and heard by few, this batch of tapes documenting the short but worthy lifespan of Scott Morgan’s post Rationals band Guardian Angel (later known as Lightnin’) has seen the light of day at last. It’s a righteous addition to a starry back catalogue.

You probably already know the story but it bears repetition: Scott Morgan is one of the greats of Detroit rock and roll and soul. A teenage star of blue-eyed soul, he and The Rationals had a regional hit with “Respect” before Aretha trumped them nationally. Scott went on to innumerable outfits including the legendary Sonic’s Rendezvous Band. This covers the period 1971-72 after The Rationals had faded away and SRB was still less than a glint in cultdom’s eyes.

Michigan’s place as America’s begrudgingly acknowledged epicentre of high-energy rock and roll was ebbing. Would-be success stories like the MC5 and Stooges had shot their creative loads and although ordinary blue collar fodder like Grand Funk Railroad had broken out, the live scene was contracting. A regionally successful act by the name of Bob Seger hadn’t yet gone solo and Mitch Ryder was visiting obscurity. Times would get tougher for most concerned but it was a chilly day nevertheless when Guardian Angel stepped into the arena. The band didn’t make much impact and Morgan moved on (to work with Fred “Sonic” Smith) after a year.

Why the band didn’t make it isn’t clear after listening to this collection. Guardian Angel/Lightnin’ played a tough brand of R & B-derived, soulful rock and roll. Blessed with one of the best voices in America and armed with skilful guitarists in Jeff Jones (lead), Al Jacquez and Morgan, they had a potent batch of originals and killer covers and a formidable engine room (ex Rats bassist Terry Trabandt and Morgan’s little brother David on drums.)

What you’ll hear are the fruits of two recording sessions that book-end nine live tracks from Otis Spann Memorial Field in Ann Arbor in June ’72. Two studio tracks (“Slow Down” b/w “Soul Mover”) were released as a Scott Morgan single in ’73, with overdubbed “Sonic” Smith lead guitar. The unadorned recordings are here with Motown handclaps and prominent backing vocals and sound mighty powerful with proper mastering.

There are 18 tracks and plenty of highlights. “Let’s Work Together” and “Cool Breeze” get steamy studio treatment. The live “Hijackin’ Love” (a perennial Morgan favourite) is a keeper among a stellar concert bracket. The evident re-mix and mastering brings out the best, sonically speaking, in a nine-song live set.

Down the years, Scott Morgan’s worked with a host of great lead guitarists (and is no slouch himself) and Jeff Jones consistently shows he’s no exception. Morgan himself bounces from rhythm guitar to harmonica and piano. (source)
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Barney Wilen - Moshi Too. Unreleased Tapes Recorded in Africa 1969-1970 (2013)


Kind of amazing recordings from the estate of jazz musician Barney Wilen, live recordings from his 1969-70 trip to Africa, made with local musicians.  The vibes here are a mix of spiritual jazz, improv drone rock, and rural ethnographic recordings of folk music.  Strongly recommended.

Barney Wilen was a French composer and tenor saxophonist who recorded and played with luminaries like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Thelonius Monk, and Martial Solal; as a leader and composer, he has made albums that range from straight-ahead jazz to flirtations with psychedelic rock and even early synth/sequencer technologies. One of his most unique recordings, though, was Moshi, an album recorded for the Saravah label which saw him load up a cargo van with Nagra tape recorders and a handful of microphones, joined by a bevy of band mates as they traveled across the African countryside. They'd jam and improvise with local tribesmen, seasoned local vets, and even the occasional street musician, recording everything and releasing the results as a sprawling two-LP opus that fetches insane sums on the collector market.

This is essentially an augmented/alternate version of that record, compiled from alternate and extended takes of the original Moshi's best cuts, as well as a number of recordings from those same road trip sessions that never saw the light of day until now. It's a stunning, hypnotic, and celebratory album and a lovely document of the sociopolitical power of music, overflowing with deep grooves, wild performances, and entertaining interactions; the studio cuts move into hybrids of African griot traditions and soulful pop and gnarly psychedelic fuzz, while the street performances get wholly wild and raw, filled with some deep, trance-inducing invocations, impassioned vocal chants, and ample polyrhythmic percussion workouts. Yes, it's somewhat pricey, but considering how much coin an original copy of Moshi is going to set you back, I cannot recommend this absolute monster of an album enough. Weirdo jazz heads, esoteric groove hounds, and those who dig a bit of cultural fusion blended with your Afro-jams should grip this IMMEDIATELY!! (source)


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Bohemian Vendetta (1968)


What's the old saying?  "Opinions are like assholes.  Everyone has one."  Well, with that in mind, this is one of a handful albums that we've given a ***** (five star) rating.  Without any hesitation, it gets a place on our personal top-10 list.

Growing up in Lynbrook, Long Island, Nick Manzi played in a number of local bands, including The Cavaliers.  Manzi and high school buddy singer/guitarist Faine Jade also started playing local clubs as a duo, eventually attracting the attention of Laurie Records, which signed them as writers and sessions players.  Manzi and Jade subsequently formed The Rustics who managed to record an instantly obscure 1966 single ("Can't Get You Out Of My Heart" b/w "Look At Me") for the small Ye Old King label.  In the wake of The Rustics collapse, Manzi replaced guitarist Richard Martinez in Long Island's The Bohemians.  By early 1967 the band opted for a name change.  As  Bohemian Vendatta they also underwent a series of personnel changes, eventually coalescing with a line of singer/keyboardist Brian Cooke, drummer Chuck Monica, bassist Victor Muglia and rhythm guitarist Randy Pollock.  

Having recorded a series of demos, 1967 found the band releasing a one shot single for United Artists ("Enough" b/w "Half the Time" (United Artists catalog number UA 50174).  In spite of an appearance on Dick Clark's rate a record television show and a steady stream of club dates opening for a variety of name bands (Vanilla Fudge) The single vanished without a trace, followed in short order by the band's contract.  Luckily they were picked up and signed to Mainstream Records.  


In typical mid-60s' fashion, "Bohemian" offers up a mixture of band originals and popular rock covers.  The covers are certainly okay, particularly their snail's pace meltdown take on The Stones "Satisfaction", though most folks can probably survive without hearing yet another cover of The Animals' "House of the Rising Son".  Curiously, though credited as an original composition, "(She Always Gives Me) Pleasure" sounds like a note-for-note rip of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl".  Far more impressive is original material such as the leadoff "Riddles and Fairytales", "All Kinds of Highs", "Deaf, Dumb & Blin" and the stunning "Paradox City" (talk about sounding like a bad acid trip).  Credited to T. Camp (?) and singer/keyboardist Cooke, the collection literally drips with that peculiar mix of stabbing organ, meltdown fuzz guitar and demented acid drenched vocals that send psych collectors into a frenzy.  All hyperbole aside, the album is easily one of the crown jewels in the Mainstream catalog (and suitably rare and pricey).   For true fans, Mainstream also released "Riddles and Fairytales" b/w "I Wanna Touch Your Heart" as a single (Mainstream catalog number 681).  Like the parent LP, the single went nowhere.

With Mainstream all but ignoring the LP,  Manzi and company had time on their hands, pitching in to help buddy Faine Jade record his debut album "Introspective" on the small RSVP label.  Manzi actually co-wrote most of the tracks with Jade. As far as we can tell, it also marked the band's final recording efforts.  

Over the years the LP's been booted at a couple of times.  We've never heard it, but in 1998 the Distortions label released a collection of rarities, acetates and non-LP sides under the title "Enough!" (Distortions catalog number DR 1038).

Guitarist Manzi subsequently reappeared as a member of Dust Bowl Clementine (always loved that name). (badcatrecords)
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Christmas - Heritage (1970)


Wonderful second album by Canada's best '60s / '70s psych rock band. Featuring ex members of Reign Ghost, this is a superb mixture of West coast acid guitar, and melodic hard edged rock with trippy effects and jams! Great album! Features extra tracks too!

Christmas was formed in 1969 in Oshawa Ontario, Canada, out of the ashes of the cult underground psychedelic band Reign Ghost. In July 1970, Christmas released an independent self titled debut that brought some media attention to the band and a contract with the Daffodil Records label. In December 1970 , less than six months after the release of the debut, Christmas released their debut Daffodil Records album entitled "Heritage". 

Christmas was comprised of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bob Bryden, bass Tyler Raizenne, drummer Rich Richter and Robert Bulger on guitars all of whom were still in their teens. The album gathered good reviews and was well received by critics but it was not commercially viable because the long songs and hard rock sound . It became an instant favorite in the underground music scene just about everywhere but in Canada

Consequently Christmas broke up in late 1971 only to resurface the following year, line up intact , under the name "The Spirit Of Christmas". 

In the late 80's and 90's the original Heritage album became a highly sought after collector's item especially in the USA and Europe because of the band's unorthodox style and progressive influences. While the original "Heritage" album contained 10 songs in the heavy rock progressive style of music, this reissue features an extra four bonus tracks. This reissue by Unidisc has been digitally mastered and the original artwork has been kept.


Christmas is not, you'll probably concede, a likely choice of names for o rock group. But Christmas is not really a likely group. The average age of the four members of Christmas is a mere 17, yet lest this should deter you. we should point out very quickly that they make music many players fully ten years their senior have not yet dreamed of making. Lead singer and composer, Bob Bryden, thought up the name a year before he put Christmas together on December 25,1969. At the time, it seemed to fit. "Although our music is heavy, it is also optimistic. In part, it's peaceful, and it is something to gel into the spirit of". We felt the same way when we first heard Christmas music, in a rotting, disused air force barracks building on the outskirts of Oshawa, Ontario. It was a cloudy afternoon, ond the weeds around the building were high and healthy from the months of summer sun.

We were jammed into one small room at the end of the building, and the music was louder than hell but it was very relaxing. You weren't being browbeaten or bashed around the ears. Indeed, when we walked out into that cloudless afternoon and looked across the criss-crossing air strips, there was a strange feeling of ¡ov and electricity. We felt as though we'd heard something very very special. We explored further, and as the leaves turned red across tne Southern Ontario Hollands, we spent long and fascinating nights in the studio recording this album. That initial feeling we'd hod at the Oshawa air force base never left us. The flatlands are white now with the first snows, and the fires are burning in the red bricks and we're listening to the album. We still cannot believe the depth and definition of these four young musicians. We do believe though humbly, that this is the most original music to ever come out of tne north country. We sit before our fires, gazing into the flames, and wonder how it is that such young musicians have so much insight and understanding. And so much balls.

We reflect on the unlikeliness of Christmas, and its four members, the 16 year old drummer, Richard Richter, the bass player, Tyler Raizenne who is also 16, the 18 year old lead guitarist, Robert Bulger and the 19 year old guitarist-writer-inspirational leader, Bob Bryden. Such a union is as fragile as an early snowfall on still-yellow leaves, as sensitive as the look of belief in a young couples eyes, and yet as strong as the un-mortared stones in a Roman aqueduct. We Know it will grow, just as the snow melts and the ground dries up. We feel these strange vibrations and we know they will not elude you. We have confidence and ears and hearts and a longing to know more.

Christmas, after all, is something to get into the spirit of...
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Zenith Effluveum - Almost Made It in the USA (1978)


Zenith Effluveum are an obscure oddity from Rochester, NY. The band members were high school friends: Carl Mack on drums (still musically active today), Michael Ferrera (who wrote the most songs, sadly he passed away a few years ago) and Kim Fabris. (There's a rumour that Greg Prevost of Chesterfield Kings contributed on their only record but the actual truth is he was recording in the same basement, but not appearing on the record.)

The band was influenced by Can, Amon Duul, Faust, Floh de Cologne, Magma, Silver Apples, Henry Cow and many more.

They performed in CBGB in '77, and in '78 their self-released debut Almost Made It In The USA saw the light of the day. It's clearly a labour of love rather than a high-quality production achievement: it's a low fidelity, one take recording on a 4-track. Apparently there are some Moog Taurus pedals and clarinets there...

The second incarnation of the band, Zenith II came about in 1983, but it's unknown whether they have any releases or not. (progarchives)

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Basil Kirchin - Abstractions of the Industrial North (2005)


Experimental composer Basil Kirchin was born in Great Britain in 1927. He made his professional debut in December 1941 at London's Paramount, playing drums in his father Ivor's jazz band, and remained a fixture of the group throughout the remainder of World War II, playing 14 shows per week. After the war ended, Kirchin joined Harry Roy's newly-formed New 1946 Orchestra (one of the first true British big bands) as a featured soloist, gaining national exposure via the band's regular appearances on BBC radio. As the decade drew to a close, Kirchin signed on with the Ted Heath Big Band, at the time arguably the most popular big band in all of Europe -- in 1952 he returned to London to form his own group, installing his father as co-leader and recruiting trumpeters Tony Grant, Stan Palmer, Bobby Orr, and Norman Baron; saxophonists Ronnie Baker, Duncan Lamont, Pete Warner, John Xerri and Alex Leslie, pianist Harry South, bassist Ronnie Seabrook, vocalist Johnny Grant, and arranger John Clarke. The Kirchin band made its debut on September 8 with a year-long residency at the Edinburgh Fountainbridge Palais, followed in November 1953 by an engagement at the Belfast Plaza Ballroom that extended into the spring of 1954. At the same time, the group also backed singer Ruby Murray during a 13-week series for Radio Luxembourg.

In mid-1954 Ivor Kirchin was critically injured in an auto accident, and Basil attempted to lead the band on his own -- without a head for business, however, he struggled to keep the operation afloat before ultimately dissolving the lineup. Once Ivor recovered he returned to work, and with the formation of the New Kirchin Band -- a unit featuring four trumpeters, four saxophonists and three percussionists -- their sound veered away from traditional big band jazz to a more rhythmic, brassy approach that proved extremely popular with listeners, and after just ten months in existence, they placed fourth in a Melody Maker reader poll of Britain's most popular groups. After recording four singles and an EP for Decca, the Kirchin Band signed to Parlophone, where they collaborated with future Beatles' producer George Martin -- moreover, they were the first band to travel with their own P.A. system, and Basil obsessively recorded each live performance and rehearsal session, including now-legendary dates backing Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan. However, he felt increasingly confined by the limitations of the big band model, and at the peak of the Kirchin Band's fame, announced its dissolution in 1957, spending the next few years traveling the globe, including extended stays in India and the U.S.

After arriving in Sydney for what would amount to a two-year stay in Australia, Kirchin left his luggage -- including nine hand-compiled 7" tapes containing only the absolute highlights of the Kirchin Band's five-year run -- aboard his ship. Days later he received an apologetic phone call from the docks: In the process of removing the cargo from the ship, his luggage fell into the sea, and everything was destroyed -- in effect, his life's work was lost, with only their studio sessions to document the group's music. Although Kirchin finally returned to Britain in the spring of 1961, he abandoned traditional jazz forever, instead working with engineer Keith Herd on a series of electronic compositions written for imaginary films -- from there, he was commissioned to score a number of actual films, television programs, documentaries, and theatrical productions. In 1964, Kirchin began pursuing an approach he dubbed World Within Worlds -- essentially, he began combining traditional instruments with wildlife sounds and the amplified noise of insects, painstakingly editing and manipulating the results to create beautiful yet utterly alien soundscapes that clearly anticipated the subsequent ambient experiments of Brian Eno, as well as a generation of electronic artists like Aphex Twin. Not until the Swiss tape recording manufacturing firm Nagra issued their next-generation tape machines and microphones in 1967 was Kirchin able to acquire the technology necessary to fully realize his vision -- his source material grew more and more obscure, and his tape manipulations grew more and more extreme with each new project, discovering new "inner sounds" virtually inaudible at standard playback speeds.

While earning an income from soundtrack projects including 1967's The Shuttered Room, 1968's The Strange Affair, and 1971's The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Kirchin continued honing the World Within Worlds' aesthetic, finally releasing an LP under that name in 1971 -- a sequel followed two years later, this time featuring liner notes written by the aforementioned Eno. However, record company meddling and politics victimized both records, and a disillusioned Kirchin accepted more film and TV work in order to continue funding the equipment needed to further his more personal projects. Sadly, no new material was forthcoming for decades, and only in 2003 was Quantum -- a work fusing live performances from Evan Parker, Darryl Runswick, Kenny Wheeler, and Graham Lyons with ambient field recordings and the voices of autistic children -- finally issued on the Trunk label. The two-fer Charcoal Sketches/States of Mind -- the latter composed in 1968 for a psychiatric conference -- soon followed. (amg)


For the third release in Truck Records' archival series unearthing the unjustly obscure work of British jazz bandleader and experimental composer Basil Kirchin, label head Jonny Trunk went back to the company's roots. Trunk Records was founded in the mid-'90s to reissue music from the then little-known subgenre known as library music. Library music consists of instrumental cues and moods written and produced by staff composer/arrangers as works for hire that could then be used in television and movie soundtracks without having to pay separate royalties to the composer. In between his days as one of the most sought-after big-band players in British jazz and his later career as an avant-garde composer, Basil Kirchin spent some time working for the De Wolfe Music library, then the largest in England, and 1966's Abstractions of the Industrial North is one of his finest efforts for the company. Originally recorded in 1966, the 11 evocatively titled pieces on Abstractions of the Industrial North are mostly minor-key and melodic, with arrangements that favor flutes, vibes, and electric piano. Languid and jazzy, with an air of wistful melancholy, these pieces would have been ideal for a black-and-white kitchen-sink drama of the period starring Terence Stamp and/or Julie Christie. The Trunk reissue -- which as always with this label features absolutely gorgeous graphic design and interesting liner notes -- fills out the brief running time of the original LP with eight previously uncollected music cues by Kirchin from the De Wolfe Music library, the most interesting of which are "Viva Tamla Motown" (exactly the sort of not-quite-right imitation of real rock music that many music libraries specialized in), and a fun curiosity dubbed "Pageing Sullivan," which features an electric guitar battle between Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan, at that time two of the highest profile session musicians in London. The earliest material covered in Trunk's extensive Basil Kirchin reissue campaign, Abstractions of the Industrial North is the most conventional easy listening release of the lot, but it's an excellent example of the library music genre. (Stewart Mason)
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