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1970s Warsaw Pact J-R Fusion bands

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FunkFreak75 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 25 Aug 2024 at 1:31pm
I've been blown away by the number of very high quality bands that were playing/exploring Jazz-Rock Fusion from behind the Iron Curtain in the 1970s! I guess from my propagandized view from the USA, I was under the impression that all forms of artistic expression in communist-governed countries were severely repressed if not out-right controlled. Was I wrong?

Here are some of my favorites so far:
FIRYUZA / Фирюза from the Soviet Union (Turkmenistan),
SBB from Poland
FERMATA from Czechoslovakia (Slovakia)
IZVIR from Yugoslavia (Slovenia) 
IMPULS from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic)
LEB I SOL from Yugoslavia (Macedonia)
ENERGIT from Czechoslovakia
EXTRA BALL from Poland
MARTIN KRATOCHVIL and JAZZ Q from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic)
LABORATORIUM from Poland
MAHAGON from Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic)
TIME and TIHOMIR POP ASANOVIC from Yugoslavia (Macedonia)
KORNI GRUPA (KORNYLANS) from Yugoslavia (Serbia)
DZAMBLE from Poland

More recommendations, please! 

Also, if you grew up in communist-governed nation, please add your comments to my question: Was there good local music where you grew up? 


Edited by FunkFreak75 - 25 Aug 2024 at 1:31pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote js Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2024 at 2:46pm
You have come to the right place, site member, Snobb can probably give you a lot of info on this. 
If you are not already familiar with a series of albums called Polish Jazz, I highly recommend you check that out, lots of great music in that series. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote js Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2024 at 6:26pm
I'm moving this to the Genre Appreciation section. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snobb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2024 at 3:06am
Different former Warsaw-block (or Eastern-European in political sense, or Socialist, etc,etc, - no definition is totally precise though) countries had a bit different story about Communist authorities official position on jazz-rock (or, more precisely - rock and jazz, and all modern  popular Western music in general).

I was born in Lithuania - former Western European country on Baltic shore, occupied by Russians in 1940, and once again - in 1944. As other Baltic countries, we became a part of Russians controlled Soviet Union(SU), what among other, means we were most strictly controlled, compared with semi-independent Eastern block countries, as Poland or Czechoslovakia. 

As a result, even if Czechs or Poles will say their semi-independent authorities tried to ban or strictly control popular Western music development in their countries, they don't really know, how strict the control was for those living in former SU.

Of all former SU, there were three Baltic countries, which before WWII were part of the Western civilization, even under Soviet control they stayed a local points of Western culture for other nations, incorporated to SU. As a result, Baltics were most liberal part of all former SU, still very much under Moscow censorship pressure. 

Still, there were some small local initiatives, trying to support. For example, there in Lithuania was almost unique possibility to study jazz in a Music Academy (and even not in capital Vilnius, but in small branch, located 300 km from Vilnius in seaside town of Klaipeda- as far as possible from Moscow controllers eyes). For an empire with almost 300 million population, it was almost the only possibility to study jazz in a university. From other hand, it made small Lithuania the Mecca for jazz musicians from all former SU. Best early Lithuanian jazz bands were founded by immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, etc, running to the secret part of SU, where they had the possibility play jazz.

Early Lithuanian jazz super band was Ganelin trio, founded by Moscow-born Russian Jew pianist Vyacheslav Ganelin(moved to Lithuania with family in 1948), Ural (Russia)-born sax player Vladimir Chekasin(moved to Lithuania in 1971) and Archangelsk(N.Russia)-born drummer Vladimir Tarasov(moved to Lithuania in 1968). Ganelin trio played very their own classics-influenced avant-garde jazz and even successfully toured US still in SU-times. 



Since there were almost no possibility to study jazz, most former SU jazz musicians were classically trained - that's why early jazz from former SU-territories is often of strong technical quality. 



Soviet authorities target was to control popularisation of Western values, and the music was part of it. Still, they were mostly afraid of lyrics - that's why any form of domestic rock music was under very strict control and usually banned. Jazz, as instrumental music, was too free to be accepted, but didn't look so potentially dangerous. 

In Eastern block countries, as Poland or Czechoslovakia, there were even wider possibilities for jazz-rock existence, so one can find some well-known jazz-rock bands from these countries , very popular around the world now.

The exception of common rule was Yugoslavia - most liberal country from region. I've been living there for three years, and for my knowledge they didn't experience the pressure on rock music even in dictator's Tito times. There are some popular jazz rock bands from former Yugoslavia well known around the world as well

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snobb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2024 at 3:10am
Speaking about your list above, there are some great bands I know and still lot can be suggested.

Very first what comes in mind is excellent (ethnic) fusion band from former Soviet Central Asia "Gunesh":

 


Edited by snobb - 26 Aug 2024 at 3:11am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FunkFreak75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2024 at 6:57am
Originally posted by snobb snobb wrote:

Speaking about your list above, there are some great bands I know and still lot can be suggested.

Very first what comes in mind is excellent (ethnic) fusion band from former Soviet Central Asia "Gunesh":

 

YES! I've heard (and reviewed) their music! I LOVE it! I was quite impressed with their debut from 1980--gave it a full five stars. It reminded me a lot of Chilean band Los Jaivas (which is kind of odd).

Also forgot to mention Yugoslavian band DEN DA ZEN--another band whose 1980 debut album I LOVE!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FunkFreak75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2024 at 7:08am
Originally posted by snobb snobb wrote:

Different former Warsaw-block (or Eastern-European in political sense, or Socialist, etc,etc, - no definition is totally precise though) countries had a bit different story about Communist authorities official position on jazz-rock (or, more precisely - rock and jazz, and all modern  popular Western music in general).

I was born in Lithuania - former Western European country on Baltic shore, occupied by Russians in 1940, and once again - in 1944. As other Baltic countries, we became a part of Russians controlled Soviet Union(SU), what among other, means we were most strictly controlled, compared with semi-independent Eastern block countries, as Poland or Czechoslovakia. 

As a result, even if Czechs or Poles will say their semi-independent authorities tried to ban or strictly control popular Western music development in their countries, they don't really know, how strict the control was for those living in former SU.

Of all former SU, there were three Baltic countries, which before WWII were part of the Western civilization, even under Soviet control they stayed a local points of Western culture for other nations, incorporated to SU. As a result, Baltics were most liberal part of all former SU, still very much under Moscow censorship pressure. 

Still, there were some small local initiatives, trying to support. For example, there in Lithuania was almost unique possibility to study jazz in a Music Academy (and even not in capital Vilnius, but in small branch, located 300 km from Vilnius in seaside town of Klaipeda- as far as possible from Moscow controllers eyes). For an empire with almost 300 million population, it was almost the only possibility to study jazz in a university. From other hand, it made small Lithuania the Mecca for jazz musicians from all former SU. Best early Lithuanian jazz bands were founded by immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, etc, running to the secret part of SU, where they had the possibility play jazz.

Early Lithuanian jazz super band was Ganelin trio, founded by Moscow-born Russian Jew pianist Vyacheslav Ganelin(moved to Lithuania with family in 1948), Ural (Russia)-born sax player Vladimir Chekasin(moved to Lithuania in 1971) and Archangelsk(N.Russia)-born drummer Vladimir Tarasov(moved to Lithuania in 1968). Ganelin trio played very their own classics-influenced avant-garde jazz and even successfully toured US still in SU-times. 



Since there were almost no possibility to study jazz, most former SU jazz musicians were classically trained - that's why early jazz from former SU-territories is often of strong technical quality. 



Soviet authorities target was to control popularisation of Western values, and the music was part of it. Still, they were mostly afraid of lyrics - that's why any form of domestic rock music was under very strict control and usually banned. Jazz, as instrumental music, was too free to be accepted, but didn't look so potentially dangerous. 

In Eastern block countries, as Poland or Czechoslovakia, there were even wider possibilities for jazz-rock existence, so one can find some well-known jazz-rock bands from these countries , very popular around the world now.

The exception of common rule was Yugoslavia - most liberal country from region. I've been living there for three years, and for my knowledge they didn't experience the pressure on rock music even in dictator's Tito times. There are some popular jazz rock bands from former Yugoslavia well known around the world as well


I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this reply, Slava. This is the stuff I'm very interested. I had no idea that their were varying degrees of Soviet censorship--that those "outside" the Soviet Union (like Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia) had less severe restrictions. This makes sense as I uncover more diversity in musics produced in the 70s and 80s from those "Eastern Bloc" countries than what I'm finding from those countries absorbed within the Soviet Union. 

How bout Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania? Did they have much/any activity in the form of jazz, rock, or jazz-rock fusion in their music scenes?

Love the story about little Klaipeda becoming the mecca for Soviet jazz musicians!

Thanks so much, Slava!

Anyone else from a Soviet or Eastern Bloc nation with anything to share? Also, what about the former GDR (East Germany)? I'm not sure if any of the music I've been discovering had any roots there; everything I've been led to so far is from "West German" communities (and there are some great ones!)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snobb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2024 at 7:18am
Thinking about originally RUSSIAN jazz fusion from former SU era, one among more popular bands were Arsenal (lesser known outside of SU though). Band's leader, Moscow-born sax player Alexey Kozlov moved to most western point of the former SU, a strange artificial enclave, formed by SU authorities in the capitol of the former German state of Eastern Prussia and surrounded territories after the WWII (still under russian occupation till now). Another place which is very close to Western civilisation and far from Moscow eyes. Surrounded by Lithuania, Poland and Baltic sea. 

The band started from their own kind of fusion (mix of classical arrangements, jazz-rock and pop-songs), very soon became a first SU band, incorporating hip-hop to their sound (I saw this their program played live somewhere in mid 80s), but finished as boring pop-jazz collective very soon.





Edited by snobb - 26 Aug 2024 at 7:19am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snobb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 2024 at 12:43pm
I heard some strong fusion bands from Bulgaria, technically very capable (again - of classically trained musicians), the best Bulgarian fusion album I ever heard is as follows:



 


Edited by snobb - 27 Aug 2024 at 12:44pm
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