Blue Effect - Svitanie (1977)

Now known as M Efekt, this group is almost entirely rebuilt from scratch from its previous incarnation of 73 (even if the album was released in 75) around Hladic and Cech, welcoming ex Collegium Musicum Fedor Freso on bass and Synkopy61 Oldrich Vesely keyboardist. The quartet now formed some sort of CzechMoravianSlovakian supergroup, modifying their sound to a very Yes-like soundscape. Generally known as their better works among progheads, this writer can't help but preferring their more fusion-esque album like their 73 album. While I have yet to see this album in Cd format with its original red & orange artwork instead of this bland b&w photo, this album IS indeed one of ME's best, because while being sort of derivative, ME manages to sound like their own group with its own sound.
With a very pleasant start with the 10-min Vysoka track, the group manages to foray through a large panel of moods and ambiances without sounding like "going through the motions", and it shows in the group's enthralling music. The shorter (relatively) Pada Rodenska is an absolutely fantastic Moravian folk song interrupted by some bold and daring Daffy/Donald Duck-like synth noises, but the track is probably the most memorable. Closing the album's first side is the Popoludni track is a bit jazzier than the rest of the album but closing weird synths
The sidelong title-track "epic" is a slow starter, with some multi-voiced lines, sending us towards Yes and early Soft Machine, finally lifting off around the 9-min mark, when the group takes Yes and Genesis-like unison march and adapt it to Slavic charms. The track gets lost a bit in a lengthy slower passage before returning to the early opening passages of the track. Considering the 19-min+ of the track, it seems this track could've been held to some 12 mins without losing a note, the useless expansion stopping this track from being of epic proportions. I find that ME's vocal delivery on this album is very much Italian-like, but timbre-wise, it sounds like a cross of Jon Anderson and Ian Gillan, if you can picture that.
The Cd re-issue comes with one bonus track, the harder-edged almost 7-min Golem, which would fit the album superbly if it had been better sung, but overall it is a very worthy addition. Almost quite as good as their 73 album, but quite different as well, you can easily jump on thios album, if you are into a symphonic mood.

Styles:
Progressive Rock

Tracks:
01 - Vysoká stolicka, dlhý popol (10:12)
02 - Ej, padá, padá rosenka (6:36)
03 - V sobotu popoludní (4:15)
04 - Svitanie (19:35)
05 - Golem (6:47)

Line-up:
Vlado Cech - drums, percussion
Fedor Freso - bass, mandolin, vocals, percussion
Radim Hladík - acoustic & electric guitars
Oldrich Veselý - acoustic & electric pianos, organ, Arp & string synths, vocals

John McLaughlin - Electric Guitarist (1979)

Since John McLaughlin's first two post-Shakti albums -- Electric Guitarist and Electric Dreams -- featured the word "electric" in their titles, it seems that the guitarist wanted to emphasize his more plugged-in side to those who might not have followed along on three previous releases featuring his acoustic world music band. He also thumbed through his impressive phone book to call in some of the cream of the 1977 crop of jazz fusionists to help him out on Electric Guitarist, a true return to form. Ex-Mahavishnu members Jerry Goodman and Billy Cobham assist in kicking things off just like in the old days with "New York on My Mind," a tune that could have been an outtake from his earlier Mahavishnu Orchestra work. Also along for the ride are Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, David Sanborn, Carlos Santana, Jack Bruce, and four legendary drummers including Cobham, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, and Narada Michael Walden. Unfortunately, the credits don't specify who plays on which track (well-written liner notes would help there), but anyone familiar with the distinctive styles of these artists can easily pick them out. McLaughlin is in fine form throughout, especially when playing clean, staccato, bent notes on the ballad "Every Tear from Every Eye." The majority of the selections stay in a more subtle but amped-up groove as McLaughlin shifts from dreamy to a faster, more straight-ahead tempo on the seven-minute "Do You Hear the Voices that You Left Behind?" A duet with Billy Cobham on "Phenomenon: Compulsion" provides the set's most frantic fireworks as both musicians air out their chops on a breathless, galloping piece with some of the guitarist's most furious picking.

By Hal Horowitz in All Music Guide

Styles:
Fusion
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - New York on My Mind (05:46)
02 - Friendship (07:02)
03 - Every Tear from Every Eye (06:53)
04 - Do You Hear the Voices You Left Behind? (07:41)
05 - Are You the One? Are You the One? (04:43)
06 - Phenomenon: Compulsion (03:23)
07 - My Foolish Heart (03:25)

Line-up:
John McLaughlin – guitar
Carlos Santana – guitar (track 2)
Stu Goldberg – Minimoog (track 1), electric piano (track 1), organ (track 1)
Chick Corea – Minimoog (track 4), piano (track 4)
Patrice Rushen – piano (track 3)
Tom Coster – organ (track 2)
Billy Cobham – drums (tracks 1, 6)
Narada Michael Walden – drums (track 2)
Tony Smith – drums (track 3)
Jack DeJohnette – drums (track 4)
Tony Williams – drums (track 5)
Alyrio Lima – percussion (track 2)
Armando Peraza – conga (track 2)
Fernando Saunders – bass (track 1)
Neil Jason – bass (track 2)
Alphonso Johnson – bass (track 3), Moog Taurus (track 3)
Stanley Clarke – bass (track 4)
Jack Bruce – bass (track 5)
David Sanborn – saxophone (track 3)