J I R I S T I V I N - Z V E R O K R U H

This is such a fantastic album, bought this one in the early 80's.... Prague flutist J i ř í S t i v í n made rare inroads into syncretic forms virtually untested elsewhere. His cogent approach to classical, experimental and free jazz music facilitated his exposure to London’s improvised scene, including Scratch Orchestra and Cornelius Cardew. In an era when many Czech and Slovak jazz musicians faced significant obstruction by the Communist regime, Stivín’s cross-border activity may be surprising, but the results were nonetheless spectacular. His Jazz Q quartet recorded a trailblazing session with Radim Hladik’s Blue Effect. Later collaboration with guitarist Rudolf Dašek also gained notoriety on the continent. By mid-1970s, Stivín achieved a remarkable level of synthesis between electric jazz and baroque music. He used his versatility to create a poetic idiom of the highest standard. For many, such shameful heterodoxy would amount to little more than an artistic cul de sac. Yet Stivín’s luxurious arrangements are not only cosmopolitan and multifarious, but often entirely counterintuitive. It is therefore not surprising that in later years Stivín specialized in Vivaldi’s and Telemann’s repertoire. GET IT HERE Enjoy!