The story of legendary Polish prog band SBB is rooted in 1971 when classically trained Jozef Skrzek meets two musicians named Anthimos Apostolis (guitarist of Greek origin) and drummer Jerzy Piotrowski. They begin rehearsing as a trio named SBB (Silesian Blues Band). Later this year, they are invited by Polish musical icon Czeslaw Niemen. The three albums they recorded together are still considered as important, bright, innovative and brilliant albums in the Polish rock history. In 1972 Niemen and his musicians are playing at the Rock And Jazz Now concert in Munich featuring also Charles Mingus and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Skrzek is delighted when he witnesses Mahavishnu live. That music, combining musical virtuosity and improvisational skills, thrills him and his two companions. But in 1973 Skrzek and Niemen decides to take different roads. Jozef, Anthimos and Jerzy returns to the name SBB, which now means "Search, Break & Build". In April 1974 the band gives two sold-out concerts in Warsaw, these shows are recorded and released as an LP simply entitled Live, it gets an overwhelming reception. The next album New Horizon is a solid jazz-rock album with great Moog synthesizer parts. On their third one entitled Memory the band drifts towards progressive rock with long suites (including an absolute 20-minute masterpiece) and excellent guitar and synthesizer solos. The fourth album is named With A Word I Run To You. In 1977 the band records the album Follow My Dream in West-Germany, it gets an overwhelming reception, and even turns into a commercial success. In 1978 SBB performs in Dortmund as a main star, with Colosseum II and Soft Machine and also gives a gig in Roskilde for an audience of 300,000! After this gig the British newspapers name SBB "the best rock trio after The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream". They also record another excellent album in West Germany, Welcome. SBB tours massively, releases Memento With An Ordinary Triptych but conflicts rise within the band, and in1980 SBB call it a day. However, they will reunite en reform many times. SBB is considered as one of the forerunners of progressive rock and jazz-rock and attracted many influential jazz musicians, who often performed with the band. The group regularly toured Czechoslovakia, East and West Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, and gradually gained a kind of cult status within the world of prog rock. Lately many of those concerts abroad are now released on a double CD. This review is about the live performance they did in 1979 in Arhus, Denmark. Although most tracks are without a live atmosphere (only some clapping and cheering) I am impressed by this tight and experienced trio, presenting an unique blend of rock, blues, jazz and electronic music, dynamic and varied, and featuring lots of exciting soloing on keyboards and guitar. The band easily shifts from mellow to up-tempo and bombastic. My highlights. Set 1: A swinging rhythm with lots of synthesizer flights, a powerful rhythm-section and fiery guitar leads in Improv: Danish Intro. Between rock guitar and jazzrock synthesizer work in an up-tempo beat and a spacey sound in Freedom With Us. Spacey beeps and bleeps, string-ensemble and sensational Minimoog with pitchbend in Mountain Melody. Dreamy string-ensemble, beeps and bleeps and a tight beat, topped with a bluesy and fiery guitar solo in Improv: A Kind Of Rain. Set 2: First blues rock guitar and in the second part a flashy synthesizer solo in Improv: Step Forward. First a dreamy atmosphere with spacey synthesizer flights and twanging electric guitar, then gradually more lush with string-ensemble and moving guitar solo in Improv: Old Century. A swinging rhythm featuring rock guitar and flashy synthesizer flights, turning into a bombastic sound, and finally an electric piano/guitar duet in Born To Die II. The epic 15 minutes composition Follow My Dream contains a mellow climate with electric piano and string-ensemble, with dreamy vocals, embellished with sensational work on keyboards, and fuelled by an awesome rhythm-section. A long and flashy synthesizer solo, backed by propulsive rhythm-section and a sumptuous final part with moving guitar, soaring strings and dynamic rhythm-section in Improv: Another Brick Cellar (Encore). **** Erik Neuteboom (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
