LUBOŠ FIŠER - "VALERIE A TÝDEN DIVŮ" (original soundtrack recorded in 1970, CD released in 2006)

"Valerie a týden divů" ("Valerie and Her Week of Wonders") is one of the most important movies of the Czechoslovak new wave movement, which interested the nation from the early Sixties to the early Seventies. It was directed by Jaromil Jireš and premiered in September, 1970.

The soundtrack was recorded by Luboš Fišer (1935-1999), which was active as both an academic musician and a film composer. It's an eclectic and unusual soundtrack, in which Fišer mixed Czech folk music, chamber music, church music, avant-garde, and psychedelia.

Even though it was one of the most important elements of the movie, it was released as a Cd only in 2006, by British indie label Finders Keepers.

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PRAŽSKÝ VÝBĚR - "PRAŽSKÝ VÝBĚR" [aka "STRAKA V HRSTI"] (rec. 1982, rel. 1988)

Pražský Výběr (aka Prague Selection) were a Czech rock band founded by singer and keyboard player Michael Kocáb during the late Seventies.
At first, they played mainly instrumental jazz-rock, as did most Czech rock bands of that era, but as the Eighties began they became aware of British post-punk, and incorporated it in their style.
The result was a strange kind of progressive post-punk, full of virtuoso guitar and synthesizer solos. In fact, Pražský Výběr were way ahead of British post-punk in terms of technical ability, and that made their music something exciting and peculiar.

This is their second album. It was recorded in 1982, but released only in 1988, as the authorities did not like their frantic and flippant style. Nonetheless, young Czech people adored them, and their concerts in underground clubs regularly sold out.
"Pražákům je hej" is still a rock anthem as of today, but the whole album is awesome. You will rarely hear anything like this. 

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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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