Beathearts rewind #31: Allegro Jazz Ensemble - Контрасты (1980)

While on the topic of Russia we felt we had to pull this one out. We haven't gone this deep since our feature on 70s funk from Ghana back in Nov 2010.

A while back we got word of Russian crate diggers pulling out amazing jazz albums from the 1970s. We got in touch and one of the groups that caught our ear was the Allegro Jazz Ensemble. The group was led by Nicholas Levinovsky and was (at least to our surprise) one of many jazz crews to develop during the Sovjet era. They recorded eight albums and in my view this 1980 release Контрасты (Contrast) is the standout.

The sound? It's sounds like Herbie Hancock and Grover Washington Jr meets Jan Johansson for jam sessions in a dirty concrete basement behind the iron curtain. Amazing!

Rhodes, Moog, Piano - Nicholas Levinovsky
Bass - Victor Dvoskin
Drums - Victor Epaneshnikov
Drums, Percussion - Yuri Genbachev
Saxophone [Tenor & Soprano] - Vladimir Konovaltsev

Download: Allegro Jazz Ensemble - Kontrast (1980)

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