Zrnko pisku - CZ SUPRAPHON

"Released by Panton back in 1978, the LP Zrnko Písku was a classic of the jazz-fusion circle, distinguished by excellent, even virtuoso saxophone parts, impressive guitar playing, great drumming and, to put it mildly, rather peculiar vocal parts... The record opened with the 7-minute Chór Minulých Nohou V Průchodu "Pasáž", composed by Kubik - a strongly swinging, thoroughly convoluted piece built on a distinctive bass line and backed by a slightly hoarse vocal that, in my opinion, was a foreign body. The track took on colour in the 4th minute thanks to atmospheric keyboard parts and especially the saxophone, although Semelka sadly returned in the last minute. Then came the 6-and-a-half-minute Zátiší Peronních Lístků, written by the guitarist - a great, pleasantly catchy, again swaying piece, though not shy of full-blooded, rock dynamics, showing Pavlíček as a diligent and at the same time eloquent pupil of the John McLaughlin school - not to mention more delicious phrases from the saxophone... The first side closed with the balladic Sen O Snu composed by Semelka - a very slow, 6-minute number sung mainly to the accompaniment of piano and occasional impressive phrases from a classical guitar. The second, even better side of the record was taken up by just two compositions by Jan Kubik, the first of which was the Horké Letní Stmívání, lasting over 9 minutes - probably the best part of the album, which, apart from a convoluted and not very convincing Gentle Giant-style introduction (and a similar short ending), delighted with both the dynamic flute playing and almost oriental sax phrases against the backdrop of a distinctive but spacious-sounding rhythm section, and finally with almost Crimson-like, intense riffs from the saxophone and guitar... The album ended with the very restless (even Semelka woke from his lethargy and sounded like a rock vocalist) Milenci Před Pollockovým Obrazem - a 7-and-a-half-minute piece, full of intricacies and stylistic twists, which in the sixth minute rewards the patient listener with incredibly lively, improvised playing from the saxophonist and drummer - a passage that would fit perfectly on one of the early Van Der Graaf Generator albums. Sensational! Who knows whether in the second half of the 70s our southern neighbours didn't play the best progressive jazz-rock of all! And please, let nobody jump in here with SBB..." A REVIEW BY JACEK LEŚNIEWSKI FROM A BOOK ABOUT ROCK IN THE FORMER EASTERN BLOC, BEGUN BUT ABANDONED HALF A YEAR LATER (2021).