BLUE EFFECT - "A BENEFIT OF RADIM HLADÍK" [aka "MODRÝ EFEKT & RADIM HLADÍK"] (1974)

Known as Blue Effect, Modrý Efekt, or M. Efekt, depending on the album, the band lead by guitar player Radim Hladík was one of the most important music acts to ever emerge in Czechoslovakia. 
After starting as a song-oriented project, they embraced instrumental jazz-rock when most of rock music was banned for its subversive lyrics. 

This is their fifth album, the fourth in the jazz-rock style, and probably their best. Whilst their previous efforts were too unbalanced towards free jazz ("Coniunctio", 1970) or sounded like some poor man's Chicago ("Nová syntéza", 1971), this one is mature, original, and intense.

It was recorded in 1973 and released at the end of 1974, in a limited edition for the export market. That version was credited to "The Blue Effect" and titled "A Benefit of Radim Hladík". It was then reissued for the local market one year later, credited to "Modrý Efekt & Radim Hladík", which also became the title of every following edition.

Every song is composed and arranged by Hladík, who shows his musicianship with crazy, intricate jazz fusion solos. Bass player Josef Kůstka and drummer Vlado Čech jam at full speed, with funk gusto and syncopated times, while Lešek Semelka's organ and piano provide a symphonic prog touch.
Jazz legend Jiří Stivín appears as a guest, playing wind instruments.

It's not easy to compare this album to anything else. You can try to imagine a symphonic prog version of Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it would be a mere approximation. 
It is also worth noticing that the slow section of "Boty" totally sound like Camel's "Song Within a Song", which would have been recorded only three years later.
This is quite simply one of the best instrumental progressive rock albums ever. 

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