George Jinda - 1976 - The Wheel Of Love

George Jinda

1976

The Wheel Of Love

01. American Vogue (2:07)

02. Funky Daddy (4:40)

03. The Wheel Of Love (4:07)

04. Goodbye Louis (4:16)

05. Dividing (3:08)

06. Nostalgia (3:40)

07. Funny Side Of The Strut (3:49)

08. Absolution (3:15)

09. Open Bridge (1:20)

10. Dead Pan (3:10)

11. American Vogue N ° 2 (2:05)

George Jinda - Producer, Drums, Percussion

Didier Batard - Bass, Effects (Fuzz Phaser)

Tiboom - Bongos, Congas, Percussion

Yochk'o "Jeff" Seffer - Flute, Saxophone

Pascal Bournet - Guitar

Jean-Louis Bucchi - Keyboards, Synthesizer

Hungarian drummer, who is mostly known among Jazz Rock fans through his tenure with Speed Limit.He was born in Budapest in 1941, learned the piano as a child, but switched to drums at the afe of 10.In 1966 he moved with his family in New York, where he would spent most of his career and life.Jinda formed Speed Limit in Paris in mid-70's and produced two albums with the band.Inbetween he released ''The Wheel of love'', a solo album with the help of Speed Limit bandmates Yochk'o Seffer on sax/flute and Jean-Louis Bucchi on keyboards with Didier Batard on bass, Tiboom on percussion and Pascal Bournet on guitar.Recorded at Marnes-La-Coquette Studios and released in 1975 on Motors, this was mor of a team effort with the compositions being written by Jinda, Bucchi and Seffer.

An overlooked gem of mid-70's Jazz/Fusion, ''The wheel of love'' is an excellent work of versatile, proggy Jazz/Fusion, led by Jinda's phenomenal drumming and with impressive instrumental work by Bucchi and Seffer, offering a very dense amalgam of short, jazzy-spiced pieces with great twists and turns.SBB, PASSPORT and IL BARICENTRO are the closest comparisons.Unlike Speed Limit, the music in here seems to be much more structured, less improvised and extremely tight with fantastic changes between electric piano and synthesizers and occasional sax, flute and guitar leads by Seffer and Bournet.The album contains light psychedelic (scratching guitar parts) and symphonic tendencies (mellow flute drives) over a furious rhythm section and a loose but extremely energetic keyboard work by Bucchi.Pounding grooves, funky touches, atmospheric textures and fiery, jazzy solos are well-linked for a monumental, instrumental effort, where the mood can be dreamy, aggressive and optimistic at the same time.No weak piece actually, all tracks are very rich in instrumental colors, virtuosic solos and extended interplays, changing from smooth underlines to smoky executions with a balanced sound.

Jinda would meet guitarist Chieli Minucci in 1982 in New York and the two formed the Lounge Jazz duo Special EFX, which became quite popular.However Jinda's career would be cut short in 1995, when he was diagnosed with asthma and diabetes, leading later to a myoclonic disorder.He passed away in 2001 at the age of 60.

One of the best Jazz/Fusion albums of the 70's.Neurotic, angular, passionate but also ethereal and haunting music over a wide spectrum of jazzy-flavored influences.Highly recommended.

Rare debut solo drummer Hungarian-born George Jinda, member of the French prog scene 70s. He also played in the post-Magma project Yochk'o Seffer - Speed ??Limit. A Seffer in turn participated in the recording of this album. A very interesting mix of prog and jazz rock plus a little funk and zeuhl. I recommend it.