Jazz Archives

This one's one of my all time favourites from the entire MPS catalogue. Progressive, pathfinding, still very catchy modern jazz - not quite in avantgarde - like but something of their own. For the owners of this album I'd like to recommend their two albums on Bulgarian Balkanton label. Maybe even more harder to find but worth it. They contain earlier versions of songs featured on this German LP and much more. Confusing enough they both have almost the same cover and the same title "Quartet Jazz Focus 65" with only the LP numbers different BTA 1006 and BTA 1098. From 1967 and 1968 respectively.
The pianist Milcho Levyev from the quartet soon defected from Bulgaria to USA to join the forces of the Don Ellis Big Band and probably gave a lot of original ideas for this original band with such gems as Bulgarian Bulge.
Not to be missed!

:::Review by mellow:::

Bulgarian Jazz Quartet - Jazz Focus '65 – (1968)

01 - Blues In 10 (Milcho Leviev)
02 - Monday Morning (Milcho Leviev)
03 - Yesterday (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
04 - Billie's Bounce (Charlie Parker)
05 - Autumn Sun (Milcho Leviev)
06 - Blues In 12 (Milcho Leviev)
07 - Badinerie Aus Der H-Moll-Suite (Joh. Seb. Bach/arr.: Milcho Leviev)

Credits
Milcho Leviev - piano & leader
Simeon Shterev - flute
Lyubomir Mitrov - bass
Peter Slavov – drums

Notes
Recorded June 9th, 1968 at Tonstudio Walldorf/Frankfurt