ORCHESTER ROLAND KOVAC - TRIP TO THE MARS














Roland Kovac for Saba from 1964.
First posted at OIR in May 2006.
Jimmy Deuchar-Trumpet;Cliff Hardy -Trombone;Derek Humble-Alto;Charlie Drewo-Tenor;Jiohnny Fisher-Bass;Francis Coppetiers-Piano;Jimmy Pratt-Drums;Stuff Combe-Percussion.

This is what Johnny Trunk had to say about this lp of top quality european jazz
"At long last MPS records have re-issued this sci-fi jazz monster. 17 tracks cut in about 1964, and all about a flight into Space. Fantastic in every way. I nearly got really desperate, anxious and sweaty just trying to track one of these rare re-issues down. I think an original is about a monkey (£500), so I'm obviously not going to get one of them."
I did likewise-here's a 320 rip from the Speakers Corner 180g repress from 2000.Now read on:
At long last this extremely rare "concept LP" by the pianist and arranger Dr. Roland Kovac is available once more. The cover photo is a feast for the eyes, while the music is sheer delight for the ears. the ears. Amazingly enough, this music was originally recorded as an advertising gag for an atomic power plant. The plant was never put into operation however: luckily Roland Kovac persuaded SABA to take over the production costs and the sound Tapes. The soloists all came from West German Radio's Kurt Edelhagen Bog Band, and all are excellent interpreters of this complicated collage of short melodic fragments. Jazz friends will particularly enjoy listening to Service II, while Munich On The Mars will Make many smile at its humour. Derek Humble, probably one of the very best saxophone players in the history of the big band, makes each and every theme a little musical jewel in its own right. All in all this LP possesses not only documentary value but offers great music - even 40 years after its recording - which is on a par with the futuristic cover.

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