GYÖRGY SZABADOS — Szabados György / Roscoe Mitchell: Jelenés (Revelation) (review)

GYÖRGY SZABADOS — Szabados György / Roscoe Mitchell: Jelenés (Revelation) album cover Live album · 1998 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Hungarian avant-garde jazz pianist György Szabados,leading his "Royal Hungarian Court Orchestra"(MAKUZ) for decade,plays on this excellent album live show with Art Ensemble of Chicago sax player Roscoe Mithell. Live album contains three long compositions, recorded in Budapest Thalia Theater in 1996.

Two first are Szabados originals,each lasting more than 26 minutes. Characteristically for all Gyorgy's music, them both are tightly composed,with strong Central European classic influence and full of Hungarian folk soul,rhythm and sparks. MAKUZ (originally fluctuating line-up band) here contains some best Hungarian jazz musicians on board, including reedist Mihály Dresch,acoustic bassist Róbert Benkő and violinist Ferenc Kovács among other.Lead by Szabados and playing together for years, band demonstrates telepathic relations on Szabados compositions they obviously know perfect.Mitchell is obvious newcomer to this music and it's interesting how he's finding his way to participate.On "Motif",divided between MAKUZ almost groovy and quite free if tuneful parts and Szabados well-composed chamber sounding moments,Roscoe adds one of his most soulful and tuneful alto solos sometimes dueling with Dresch tenor.

Revelation is another well-composed song,but this time main accent is Hungarian folk roots, from Szabados shamanic ritual singing to plenty of so important to any Hungarian music violin soloing. Kovács demonstrates real magic here very successfully balancing between complex almost chamber composition's construction and almost dance-able Csárdás fest. He still never cross this dangerous border,separating tasteful folklore from music for tourists.As on previous song, Mitchell participates in few places adding fantastic clear and tuneful sax solos,then all music generally quite massive and very European,in seconds becomes lighter,more playful and full of American jazz blood.

Albums closer,shortest but still over 18-minutes long composition is free improvisation, dedicated to Roscoe's Art Ensemble Of Chicago(AAoC) music.It leaves all chamber seriousness aside and now it's true free jazz jam. Dresch plays bass clarinet,rhythm section with two percussionist imitate something what could be counted as "small instruments" and even Szabados adds fast and non-all-that serious piano improvs. All music here recalls early very free AAoC works,still European section are obviously too heavyweight and anchored to reach real AAoC playfulness.

Recording sound is quite clear,just mix could be better-balanced - with reeds on the front,Szabados piano sounds as it's placed backstage as a result lot of Szabados excellent playing nuances are missing.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cecil Taylor Unit : Live At Fat Tuesdays, February 9, 1980 First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
CECIL TAYLOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Solo Bern 1984 - First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ANTHONY BRAXTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Bruno Parrinha & Johannes von Buttlar : Whispers and Reveries Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Carlos Bechegas, João Madeira & Monsieur Trinité : Free to Open Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 1 day ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 1 day ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed