"Mūzika Diskoklubos" is compilation of Latvian discoclub music. This LP has always confused me, there's another comp with same name, which isn't good really. Also this one has only two performers; while Eolika is pretty famous, and they have some tracks, which have been loved among cosmic balearic scene, their tracks on this LP are really poor. So it is easy to forget that other tracks are pretty strong instrumentals by unknown group - Vjačeslav Mitrohins' instrumental group. Actually he was guitarist of Modo, cool jazzrock group, he played on their good first 7".
This song "Gājēju Motīvs" is really interesting in the context of reggae-not-reggae scene. So have a listen.
it is Ukrainian folk song. played by one of their most famous VIAs, Vatra. it's taken from their only LP, released first time in 1974.
all songs on LP are arrangements of local folk music. though there isn't many western influences, you can find some funkier parts from two songs. particularly i like this track with psychedelic jew harp breakdown. actually first track has also jew harp breakdown. also track "Ivana Kupala" has good groovy intro, but it's something for serious Melodija collector.
quick look through wikipedia told me that they were actually folk-jazz-rock group. even though it says on sleeve that tracks are arranged by B. Kudla, these are mostly arranged by previous leader M. Manuljak, who was repressed by officials for not making any cooperation with them.
It's about time that I post this link to my blog too. As at the moment it has got almost 20000 listens, then let's make this number bigger.
My friend DJ Scientist put together amazing mix for legendary Solid Steel radioshow presented by Ninja Tune. This mix consists of Melodiya records, specifically only records by VIA groups. Every dedicated Melodiya collector and fan knows what it means. VIAs were just your typical pop or rock or beat groups, they usually had to record some dreadful tracks for workers and party, but sometimes officials weren't around and they managed to put one groovy/funky/fuzzy track into record.
DJ Scientist has managed to collect the best VIA records and put together great mix. It's really well-crafted, it never gets boring, it's not just show-offing your collection type mix, it really keeps interesting.
People, who usually question my Melodiya love, have commented on it positively.
So I hope for more mixes from you, but now we can enjoy this one.
meistriteos on valmis!
valisime haruldastelt Meloodia plaatidelt parimad palad, lisasime ühe laivsalvestuse, ja tegime kogumiku Jaan Kumani ansambli lugudest. jazzfunk parimal kujul 1970ndatest. imeline, et need üldse kunagi avaldati, sama kenad on Kumani seaded ja parimate eesti muusikute kokkumäng.
"Hei, poisid, pingutage" kuulete Tiit Paulust mängimas iseehitatud wah-pedaali. "Väike tüdruk" on lindil säilinud ainult juhuse läbi, muusikud olid stuudios, kui helimees palus midagi mängida, et kontrollida helipuldi seadistust. Helimees ise hiljem asjaga rahul ei olnud, kuid kummaliselt kombel jäi lint alles. Nii ongi meil autentne elusülesvõte Kumani ja sõprade improvisatsioonist. Tuleb tähele panna, et oreliks oli odav nõukogude "Junost", hinnaks 70 rubla. lisaks kaks parimat lugu Uno Naissoo albumilt ja "Tantsurütme" sarja best of.
plaat müügil kauplustes Biit (Pikk 9, Tallinn) ja Raamatukoi Grammofon (Voorimehe 9, Tallinn)
lisaks Helsingis Redhill, Digelius ja Eronen. peagi ka Saksamaal, Inglismaal, USAs ja Jaapanis.
hello friends!
me and my friend Fredrik put together compilation of best Soviet Estonian jazzfunk from 70s, played by Jaan Kuman instrumental ensemble. 6 tracks taken from rare Melodiya records and one unreleased live track.
you can hear cheap Soviet organ "Junost" on "Wives and Lovers" live version. self-built wah-pedal on "Hey Boys Try Harder". more stories are hidden on this compilation, some of them have been written out on liner notes.
more information: http://afro7.net/jaankuman/
and do i need to remind you it's limited edition! get copy now or there won't be anything left later.
get copy here: http://afro7.net/jaankuman/
in Tallinn at Biit (Pikk 9) and Raamatukoi (Voorimehe 9)
in Helsinki at Redhill, Digelius or Eronen.
in Germany please order from my friend at Equinox records or hhv.de
also Juno, Dustygroove and Disk Union will have copies
Biokonstruktor oli 80ndate Moskva süntesaatorimuusika tähtsamaid ansambleid, kes lisaks magnetlint-albumitest jõudis isegi vinüülplaadini Melodija all, kuigi tõesti neile jäi ainult üks pool plaadist. Tegu oli ka kindlasti tõsisema, nii-öelda tehnoromantilise muusikaga, mitte jäädes kuskile äralagastatud süntpopi juurde. Olles kõvasti mõjutatud Depeche Mode, Kraftwerkist ja Ultravox, jõudsid nad koos kaaslastega, võiks öelda, soviet wave muusikani.
Üleval pool on esimene lugu nende 1989 aastal ilmunud Melodija plaadilt.
Lisaks soovin juhtida tähelepanu Saksa väikeleiblile Baran records, kes on võtnud ülesandeks välja anda Nõukogude Liidu tehtud Lapčenoks muusikat. Kui ma isiklikult naudin erinevaid tõsiseid reissue firmasid, kes näevad vaeva muusikute üles otsimise, taustauuringutega ja korralike plaatide välja andmisega, siis eriti rõõmsaks teeb mind label, kes uurib Nõukogude aja muusikat.
Barani taga on tõeline entusiast, kes otsib üles ka ilmumata muusikat ja loodetavasti seda kõike saab vinüülplaatidel endale tulevast aastast. Hetkel on ilmunud Biokonstruktori 7" ja Olga Voskonjani flexi-postkaart.
Biokonstruktori singlil on lugu nende Melodija all ilmunud plaadilt kui ka üks seniilmumata lugu samast ajast. Loodetavasti ilmub ka varsti esimest korda vinüülil nende varasem ainult lindil ilmunud album.
Viimane eriline reliis on kuulatav flexi-postkaart, lauljaks Olga Voskonyan ja muusika on kirjutanud Biokonstruktori laulja. See lugu ei ole seni vinüülil ilmunud, loomulikult vaadake ka suurepärast videot!
Bioconstructor was one of the best synthpop groups from Moscow, active in 1986-1990. They were more serious than most of their contemporaries, even though all of them being influenced by Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Ultravox. Their music has been described as techno-romantic and now you can put them under "soviet wave" tag. In 1989 they were lucky to release split LP on Melodiya label, and it's really strong material for government funded label in the end of 80s.
I have put up one track from album.
If you're interested in Bioconstructor music, you should definitely check out Baran records from Germany, who have released 7" single by them. It includes title track from album and one unreleased track. Hopefully there will be more from them on this label. Bioconstructor's singer Alexandr Yakovlev left group and formed Bio, he also wrote music for Olga Voskonyan, whose track "Avtomobili" is now released on flexi-postcard by Baran. I think it's really special release.
I love reissue labels, which are run by enthusiasts; what's more surprising that someone cares about soviet-time music enough to make reissues. If you are interested in supporting, order those records.
here's nice track taken from ultradiskopanorama youtube channel. popstar Viktors Lapčenoks from Latvia is touching groovy prog-pop land. he was collaborating a lot with all big Latvian composers, including Raimonds Pauls, and was involved in many of Pauls' solo author albums with Nora Bumbiere. i have featured track from duo's earlier LP on my blog too, which kind of continues same theme.
Devcata was girl power group from Moscow, they had quite few records in 70s, but I found first their ep from 1981. Obviously it has great picture sleeve, all girl group with cool instruments - neat looking guitar, heavy Eastern European organ and some weird box on top of it. It's tape delay, for a moment I hoped it's something from USSR, but inspecting closely, it's English-built Watkins Copicat; pretty cool!
Now to the music... unfortunately it's pretty poor, but full of dreamy effects, haha! I put up first track off 7", which has less unbearable parts and is more upbeat.
Mobile on ansambel, mis muutus natuke hiljem Muusik Seifiks või midagi taolist, sest samas ilmus see plaat, kui Musik-Seif oli üle Venemaa kuulus bänd. see on nende ainus vinüülplaat, singlile mahtus neli lugu, lindistatud 1978-1983. eesti muusika sõbrad leiavad siit varajase Anne Veski lauldud "Ootan sind" või ka vähe plaadistatud Ahti Nurmise, nt hiti "Troika". rare groove sõprasid ootab plaadi lõpus aga instrumentaal "Kvartett", mille autoriks on Janne Schaffer, tuntud rootsi kitarrist, nii nõutud stuudiomuusik kui ka mõned sooloplaadid välja andnud.
EDIT Tänu targemale lugejale sain teada, et originaallugu on "Dr Abraham", Janne Schafferi teiselt sooloalbumilt "Andra"
here's a little 7" single by Estonian group Mobile, it's their only record, released in 1984 and recorded 1978-1983. most musicians went to cooler groups, this record also features young future star Anne Veski and unrecognized talent Ahti Nurmis. most tracks here are cool only for hardcore Estonian music fans, but rare groove people will find here instrumental "Kvartett", which is credited to famous Swedish guitarist Janne Schaffer. this track was discovered by my mate Aku at Redhill Records, which is place to visit for Eastern European records in Helsinki, Finland.
PS Thanks to our reader we know that original version is "Dr Abraham" from Janne Schaffer's second LP "Andra".
selle gruusia flexi ostsin ma suvel uuest plaadikauplusest Tallinnas, Raamatukoi filiaal Grammofon, põhimõtteliselt on nüüd üks tõeline kasutatud plaatide pood ka tallinnas olemas, kus on olemas haruldused, plaadid jaotatud teemade järgi ja asjatundjast müüja. enamik plaate on kohalikku päritolu, nii et huvitav värskele ida-euroopa muusika huvilisele. kauplus asub Voorimehe tänaval maja nr 9.
nii et kui ma äsja avatud poodi läksin teadis müüja, mis mind huvitab ja tõi kuskilt välja gruusia tähestikuga flexi plaadid. kahjuks jäid enamik kuskile ooperi ja estraadi vahepeale, kõige huvitam oli see filmimuusika plaat, mis samuti Tbilisi tehases valmis tehtud. muud ei oskagi öelda.
if you're lucky to visit Tallinn, there's now even more reasons to be happy - we have the real kind of second hand vinyl store in Old Town, Tallinn. address Voorimehe 9. some of you know that Raamatukoi used book store sold records before, now they opened new store only for collectibles and mainly records. they have everything - mostly Eastern European records, some expensive rares and some bargains, records divided by genres, a lot of classical, and knowledgeable seller. they are only missing new arrivals crate though. take a lot of money with and listen to interesting looking record - you might have nice score! or not.
bought this flexi this summer in same store; seller handed me pack of Melodiya flexis with Georgian letters - he knew what gets me excited. even though they looked funky and unreadable, they sounded more like hybrid of opera and pop. best flexi was this film music one, also from Tbilisi. nice jazz instrumental, other side has jazzy pop songs.
after long hiatus i try to be more active for a while. also i have some exciting news to share with you soon.
now let's start with nicest jazz record i found about year ago. it started as usual - fellow record collector had been to that lonely record crate at street fair before me and pulled out cool-looking record. just month later i found excellent copy from reusing center, that's how karma works. i knew Goloshchekin, but didn't know this record. he was main figure in Leningrad jazz scene. in 1979 released LP where he plays alone up to 10 instruments, thankfully not at same time. it is nice breezy album, but sounds too polished. here's earlier LP with modern jazz and bossanovas, also some vocal jazz tracks, with lovely Elvira Trafova, if i'm not wrong, husband of David. i don't like english language evergreens, but this wordless vocal track is super, long track with all kinds of emotions, keeps interesting during all the track.
there's earlier LP with same orchestra, also 7", which i hope to hear one day.
