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 and 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 1977 in Elz, Germany. The first set delivers two short tracks (between 4 and 5 minutes) and finally a long composition (21 minutes). In general the music sounds like jam sessions. Ze Słowem Biegnę Do Ciebie - Intro: The first part contains a tight beat, in a hypnotizing atmosphere with mellow work on guitar and synthesizer, finally a Hammond organ joins. Toczy Się Koło Historii: First a slow rhythm featuring moving bluesy guitar and lush Hammond, halfway dreamy Polish vocals, then the music becomes bombastic with a pleasant Hammond and Minimoog sound. Born To Die : This epic composition starts with a catchy beat, fuelled by a powerful swinging bass and swinging rhythm guitar. Then a fiery guitar solo, the mood shifts to gradually more lush and bombastic, a spacey synthesizer solo turns into flashy synthesizer, finally a fiery guitar solo, backed by a propulsive rhythm-section. The second set contains 9 alternating tracks. Freedom With Us : First a variety of sounds, then dreamy vocals and halfway a slow rhythm. Wolność z Nami - Final: It starts experimental, followed by an up-tempo beat with a flashy Minimoog solo and fiery guitar duel, and finally beeps and bleeps. Światłowód (Wake Up): A mellow track with soaring Hammond and powerful guitar. W Kołysce Dłoni Twych (Pretty Face): An epic composition of 11 minutes, with spacey synthesizer with pitchbend, swinging rhythm in second part funky bass and Hammond, fiery guitar. Follow My Dream (instrumental) : Another epic of 11 minutes, again featuring spacey synthesizer work, joined by fiery guitar and then a flashy synthesizer solo with pitchbend, trademark SBB! Next a serie of soli, on bass (distorted), guitar and drums, often Cream comes to my mind. Wołanie O Brzęk Szkła - Final: This tracks opens surprisingly with mouth organ, halfway a mid-tempo with sensational synthesizer work and dynamic rhythm-section, and finally a powerful guitar solo. Coda : An omnipresent spacey synthesizer sound with stereo effects, joined by soaring Hammond. And finally pure bluesrock in Shake Baby (the encore) featuring swinging bass and fiery guitar, with English vocals, and furious drums at the end. ***+ Erik Neuteboom (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
