Pretty much the earliest Polish band ever to explore progressive rock, the band Skaldowie formed in 1965 as a pop outfit and released a number of chart albums before their real progressive debut in Krywan Krywan, which contains an 18 minute suite based on mountain folklore. After another album in similar vein the band reverted to more mainstream music in the age of punk rock and eventually split in the early 80s. In 1987 Jacek Zielinski resurrected the band, though without Andrzej Zielinski and Jan Budziaszek, and in 1989 they released Nie domykajmy drzwi. However, in 2004 they toured with their classic lineup again, and in May 2006 they also released a new album, Harmonia Swiata.
This rare live concert recording is from 1972 in Leningrad and unfortunately is barely decent bootleg quality from a handheld tape recorder and mic. However as a live record it is unusual for its time and source which somewhat justifies its publication. The epic song is featured here as is another long song (the title track) from the same era. Violin, Hammond organ and a strong singer gave these accomplished musicians the ability to move between genres easily and this shows on the disk in songs from gentle pop ballads to AOR-style rockers, psychedelia and more complex progressive pieces taken from their 13 album back catalogue. The highlight though is the violin shredding of the prog epic.
I'd have to say for prog fans, go find the original Krywan Krywan disk instead if you want quality. Available at Synphonic.
Track Listing
1. Intro
2. Colourful grey days
3. A young shepherd has died
4. I still love
5. The gentle shine of your eyes
6. Give me a quiet hour of sleep
7. Free are the mountain's flowers
8. Country Postman's meditations
9. Beautiful cellist
10. Angel
11. Everything tells me someone's in love with me
12. Krywania, you high mountain
13. Evening at Kansas City Railroad Station
14. The silence is crying
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