We hadn't focused on archival releases so much here at the CD Reissue Wish List, though we will going forward, as this is an exciting market. And the high quality German labels Long Hair and Garden of Delights have recently put out some very intriguing looking items. Two have just come out in the last week, and two were put out by Long Hair in the last couple of months. I'll use their descriptions. They sure do sound great! (The latter two are available from our friends at Wayside and Lasercd - and I would suspect Syn-phonic to have soon).
Papa Zoot Band - Last Concert. 1978 Germany. (Long Hair)
"Great lost band from Frankfurt, Germany. In 1973/1974 Papa Zoot Band played all over Germany, mainly in clubs but also on festivals (German Pop Meeting 1st and 2nd February 1974 in Essen, Grugahalle). Lutz Sommer guitar, Robby Matthes bass, voc, Reinhard "Tammy" Grohe organ(Ex-Nosferatu !) and Christian Engel drums, voc. played mainly long tracks, very melodic but also with a sense of drama comparable to Nektar, Eloy, Jane or Pink Floyd. Outstanding 20 minutes title "Fly away" could be a long track by Pink Floyd of the Meddle/Wish you were here/Animals-era without being an imitation. The other two long tracks "I Wish" (9 minutes) and "Friendship or Love" (11 minutes) also show throughout fantastic guitar and organ work (as you know it from "Nosferatu" album). Unbelievable that Papa Zoot Band never made an album. 4 Years after they called it a day, Papa Zoot Band played in early 1978 a sole reunion concert at there basic venue "Sinkkasten" in Frankfurt. This concert, which had the same playlist as their performance on German Pop Meeting 1974, proved again, that their music never lost its magic. This great performance was taped from the soundboard and has a superb sound quality. As bonus tracks there are two cover versions of great Eric Burdon song "When I was Young" in a 9 minutes psychedelic version and the classic "Tobacco Road" with former bandleader and great singer Ernst Nadler (nickname: Papa Zoot) who left Papa Zoot Band in early 1973. CD comes with comprehensive booklet, photos from their performance at the German Pop Meeting, 1974 (a. o. with Guru Guru, Kraan, Nektar, Eloy). Digitally remastered. Secret tip and a must have for all lovers of the genre."
Tetragon - Stretch. 1971 Germany. (Garden of Delights)
"Tetragon, successor of Trikolon, were founded in Osnabrück (Lower Saxony) in the spring of 1971. They released their first and only LP, "Nature", in that very year. It came out as CD on Musea in 1995. At the end of 1971, Tetragon recorded in a Hamburg studio five long tracks in their well-proven style for their second LP, the release of which, however, failed. Fortunately, the master tape has survived until the present day, so that now, 38 years past schedule, the work is released on CD. Three of the five songs have been written by the band itself, one by Eddie Harris ("Listen here") and one by John McLaughlin ("Dragon song"). The two latter ones had already been worked on by Brian Auger. Especially remarkable are Hendrik Schaper's exceptional play on keyboards and Jürgen Jaehner's hot guitar play. The other two, however, are their equals in skill and talent. "
The following two were released in May and June:
Puppenhaus - Jazz macht Spazz, SWF-Session. 1973-1974 Germany (Long Hair)
"No progressive rock music fan should be misled by the album title "Jazz macht Spazz", a bowdlerization of "jazz makes fun", this is progressive jazz-rock at its best. Büdi Siebert (flutes and saxes), Herbert Binder (gt), Frank Fischer (bass), later with Release Music Orchestra, Thomas Rabenschlag (keys) and drummer Bea Maier (later with Zomby Woof and Moira), all well trained on the instruments, played a varied, inventive, melodic and often furious kind of music with lots of Krautrock magic influenced by Frank Zappa, King Crimson, Soft Machine and Weather Report. 5 titles on this CD were recorded at German radio station SWF, 2 titles are live recordings (taped from the soundboard), all in all 77 minutes of great flute and sax playing, furious and lyrical guitar and bass work, hypnotic rhythm patterns and perfect keyboard sounds. Hard to believe, that Puppenhaus never recorded an album. In 1980 Büdi Siebert with friends recorded an album under the name "Herrgottsax", which also will be released in the next month on Long Hair. Digitally remastered from original master tapes. CD comes with comprehensive booklet, band story by the musicians, many photos and especially with a wonderful cover based on a painting by drummer Bea Maier. Highly recommended."
Cannabis India - SWF Session. 1973 Germany. (Long Hair)
"Another forgotten pearl from the vaults of radio station SWF, Germany. Like Coupla Prog or other delights from the early 70ies who never made an album, Cannabis India, founded 1971 in the region of Düsseldorf, show their great talent playing their own compositions influenced by groups like The Nice or ELP Bandleader and organ-player Oliver Petry studied piano from the early age of seven. When he heard Keith Emerson for the first time he changed his instrument and played organ with great enthusiasm. Together with drummer Rüdiger Braune (in the 80ies with Gianna Nannini) and furious bass-player Dirk Fleck Cannabis India run through their pieces with infernal speed but also with a sense of drama. Nearly 12minutes epic "Lapis" and 11 minutes adaption of Beethovens 9th show what for Cannabis India music was all about. CD comes with 2 bonus tracks from follow-up band Universe. Digitally remastered from original master tapes and bandstory. Don't miss it!"
March 2011 update: After having bought all 4, personally I thought the Tetragon and the Puppenhaus were excellent, whereas the Cannabis India and Papa Zoot Band were good, but not essential.
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