And what better way to ‘enjoy ourselves’ than to get into track one via a whopping, clichéd 2001 Space Odyssey dramatic intro with suitable timpani and gong that heralds a sax-led samba march. It’s ‘rare gems’ such as this leftfield jazz strangeness that what makes buying, collecting and listening to music such a pleasure and constant quest. It certainly is for the likes of Cosmic Sounds’ supremo Zelkjo Kerleta.

As is appropriate in this week of Ian Carr’s Nucleus revival mania, we find Volume 2 of Rare Gems From Hungarian Vaults moving into the 70s from the 1960s of Volume 1. Zelkjo has negotiated the compilation assistance of the appropriately named Crate Soul Brothers, Tibor Mozsik and Gábor Vályi (aka Keyser & Shuriken).

These boys have dug deep into the 70s Miles’ jazz-funk-fusion vaults to come up with an even better selection than Vol. 1 — well that’s unfair because they can’t be compared — let’s settle on equally valuable and equally necessary.

And necessary is not the only adjective you’ll be clutching at when the second track goes into top gear (only the second track and I’m struggling!). I can’t say or pronounce it but, at nine minutes long, it’s near perfect bongo-drum-Rhodes-fusion at its finest. Drum solo for the jazz dancers. In the second half, there’s a sax solo leading to a blistering finish. YEAAH!!!

I don’t understand why the CD was named after the ‘Blue Light’ as this CD is anything but blue. It’s all red hot. The title track by Bergendy is mostly big band funk. I don’t recall our (UK) state monopoly BBC funded Ronnie Hazlehurst do anything as funky? Back in 1970s Hungary, state-owned and controlled record company Hungaroton (previously known as Qualition – see Vol. 1) and its sub-labels Pepita and Krem oversee a development towards a more western style of jazz artist and album than the Modern Jazz Anthologies of the 1960s.

Talking of which, whilst ‘Blue Light’ starts all funky, towards the end it includes a very Zappa-style guitar solo. Bergendy were apparently a popular rock band of the time. Much later on, Frank was going to be an even greater influence on Eastern Europe by becoming the Minister of Culture (or similar) for the post-communist Czechoslovakia until someone had a quiet word with President Havel questioning the long term wisdom of this idea.

Returning to Zappa in the 70s, the next one dips into Jean-Luc Ponty violin territory of Mother of Invention/Mahavishnu Orchestra via Csaba Deseó Quintet (who also had a track on Vol 1, ‘Behind The Csitári Mountains’) . Another Vol. 1 featured artist, Aladár Pege, has a ‘Green Wave’ of a sax workout which gives way to Rhodes solo on top of Pege’s running bass line before he gets all de la Jaco Pastorius.

And as far as Weather Reportness goes, ‘Bamba’ (The Fool’) reminds me of one of their tracks (no Ricky Martin anywhere in sight) bamba funky samba; or is it George Duke? Or Azymuth? Anyway you’ve got the idea. Huge tune that’s already been a club hit and sampled by DJ/Producers.

Track 7 is ‘Afro-Cuban’ with the Janos Gonda Sextet. It’s a little slow to start with and then the percussion comes along and gets to your feet. There are some serious horns and a skat interlude. It’s not a manic percussive workout; in fact, it’s a subtle twelve minutes of cool.

It’s followed by Andor Kovacs’ ‘Olé’. Unsurprisingly, this kicks off with Spanish guitar and gets Hungarian folksy violin fusion stylee. One for the more enlightened jazz rooms.

‘Tropical Fever’ by Panta Rhei is a disease you want to get in a 100mph synthy-fusion-jazzer way. Mini’s contribution is ‘Jaguars, Humming-birds and Amazonas’ which veers towards rock with its big drum solo but it’s forgiven as otherwise it’s acoustic guitar driven with the congas, sax and some sort of klangers plus whistle.

The CD ends with the Debrecen Jazz Group’s ‘Stroll In Debrecen’ that is more overtly jazzy sax fusion chill with big flute solo a Rhodes piano.

You might be thinking by now, what about the biggest name in Hungarian Jazz, Gabor Szabo? Well, the sleeve notes tell us he hasn’t been included as he was building his career outside of Hungary at the time which is a fair call (see link below to the second hour of September’s TROG that’s got some Gabor).

So there’s no let up in standard between Vols. 1 & 2. The Crate Soul Brothers know a tune. I’d recommend their ‘Swinging With Miss Goodnight’ 12” (especially ‘Panoptikum’s 10 min Free Jazz Mix’ on the b-side) that was released in 2004 on Italy’s Ohm Records if you see it.

Cosmic Sounds may not be the only label you need in your life, but it’s high up there. Put it this way, Ian Carr would love this CD. And so will you.

Reviewed: Various — Blue Light: Gems From Hungarian Vaults Vol 2 Cat. No. CS-36 CD / LP (Cosmic Sounds) Release Date: 29th August, 2005

Links:
Zeljko Kerleta: THE RETURN OF GAGARIN - Live every first Sunday on B-92 radio 21-23h London time and archived afterwards. All the info and audio at: http://cosmicsounds-london.com/RADIO/radio.html
THE SEPTEMBER TROG PLAYLIST (04 Sep. 2005)
Cosmic Sounds
Crate Soul Brothers
Jean-Luc Ponty
Jaco Pastorius
George Duke – Interview in Manifesto, Issue 63, July 2005 £4.00 “The number one magazine for lovers of soul music – old & new’. info@manifestouk.com