Jan Hammer - 1969 - Malma Maliny

Jan Hammer

1969

Malma Maliny

01. Make Love (6:18)

02. Waltz For Ivonna (4:45)

03. Braching (6:18)

04. Domicile's Last Night (4:15)

05. Malma Maliny (5:00)

06. Goats-Song (4:05)

07. Responsibilty (4:48)

Jan Hammer / piano (1,3,5,7), organ (2,4,6)

Jiří Mráz / bass

Cees See / drums

Recorded live at the "Domicile", Munich, August 30th, 1968.

In 1968, long before he became a jazz-rock fusion synthesizer hero, Jan Hammer was a 20-year-old pianist/organist just recently departed from his native Czechoslovakia. Before moving to the States, he stopped over in Germany long enough to record this live trio set. MALINY MALINY finds Hammer laying down some bold, visceral keyboard work in a groove-heavy soul-jazz/hard-bop vein, backed by American bassist George Mraz and German drummer Cees See, his bravura style giving only a hint of things to come.

A smoking early set from Jan Hammer – and completely different than any of his rockish fusion sides from later years! The sound here is straight soul jazz all the way through – hard-hitting trio material with Jan on both acoustic piano and Hammond organ – working in a trio with electric bass from George Mraz and drums from the great Cees See – a cooking rhythm section who are right in step with Hammer's heavy touch on the keys! The setting's a live one, and the trio seem to take a good sort of energy from the crowd – working with a bold, rhythmic groove on almost every number – especially the tunes with organ in the lead.